Misery May Laugh
by ImGoingtoDie
Summary: When Ferengi try to rip out your circuitry, things tend to get a bit on the messy side. Lore/OC
1. Chapter 1

The world began for Lore with the stench of sodium, potassium, magnesium and iron: sweat. And pain…so much pain that it blocked out all sound around him. On and on the sensation stretched, as if it had always been and would always be. He couldn't open his eyes or move his body. He couldn't even make sound. Every twitch hurt. Every thought was hidden by the fog of agony that held his mind in thrall. He could do nothing but lie where he was.

"Daimon Patek," a grunting voice asked. "Is it good scrap?"

"Naw. Can't even pull the goods out of the top. Mark this barge off the list. Let's go; this has no profit for us. Let those idiot Pakleds pick this up," it cackled in its throat.

The pain receded incrementally after the creatures were gone, releasing his senses from bondage. He heard the door open and close while creatures continued to chatter away behind it. He didn't understand. Why was he in pain? He felt that for some reason he shouldn't be able to feel pain. He felt the jagged surface under his body, smelled the rustiness of the walls. His eyes began to slowly open up to the dimly lit world around him.

It took several long minutes for him to grasp his position. He was spread eagle on top of heaps of scrap and facing East. Above and around him were dank brown metal walls coated in a rust sheen. Originally they were most likely red or a bright orange color. He tried to stand up slowly but surely. The world lurched and he fell back, gasping as he hit the heap underneath him. What was this place? Why did he feel so sore? What happened to him?

Was he attacked by bad people? If that was the case, then he needed to get to the good people. Surely he was one of them. He couldn't be one of the bad people. He didn't feel like one of those people, so why would he be? Then again…he didn't really know who or what he was. All he knew was a name: Lore. It sounded right to his ears.

That these questions had no answers alarmed him. Surely he would remember something that caused him such pain. He made another attempt to sit up. It was easier this time. All about him lay heaps of rusted machinery and broken parts of ships and machines. How did he know that? Blinking rapidly, trying to take it in, his eyes scanned what appeared to be a door leading out.

He had to get up. The good people would tell him, but he had to get to them first. Lore dragged himself up and forced his shaky legs to work. All the while, his head felt split open. His plodding, uncertain, stumbling footsteps jarred his sensitive head, causing the pain to flare. He had to stop frequently and wait for it to subside before continuing. His eyes refused to open wider than slits.

* * *

Lore was pinned down somewhere...to something. It was cold and hard…unforgiving. He couldn't move, and there were two people talking quietly to each other in a far corner. Around the bland room were machines that looked like torture devices, but they didn't feel dangerous to him…yet. A male and female looked over at him as they continued their chat. They were familiar to him, but he couldn't quite recall how. Lore tried to break free, but he was stuck. He was at their mercies. It made him feel violated, uneasy.

"Please, don't do this to me! Please! I'll be good! I promise, father!"

The male shook his head as he walked over and clicked something in Lore's mouth. He was fairly young and looked like Lore. Familial resemblance was a common factor in procreation. How did he know that again? Lore watched the female as she leaked from her eyes. She wouldn't save him; she wouldn't even come near him...like he was some kind of bad person. But he wasn't!

"Mother," he begged. "Mother, please don't do this! Don't let him hurt me! Mother, please! Help me! Mother?"

Then they began to pull pieces of him away from his body, storing them in some chamber. He couldn't run. He couldn't fight. He had absolutely no say in the matter as they ripped him apart. All he could do was cower like a weak animal in fear. He begged up until the last second when they hit a switch at the base of his neck. All he was was a head now. He looked into the male's eyes and only saw cold, stern determination.

"Fath-"

* * *

When Lore came too, he was in a chair facing many screens. The ground was covered in corpses, and he was filthy. What had happened to him? He continued typing, not really comprehending what he was doing. His body seemed to know what to do, but his mind was clueless on the matter. Whoever he was, he must've been smart. For the first time, he looked down at his body. His chest was covered in blood. He wore no fabric like the dead ones around him did. His skin...was yellow. He looked in the screen's reflection. Parts of his head were...missing. Wires and flashing lights lit up in cascades of color.

"Now enabling emergency landing gear," there was a rumble, and the floor began to shake violently. Then it bounced, and Lore was flung into the floors. "Secure landing confirmed. Please exit from the left."

Lore walked out into bright sunlight.

There was dark, purplish blue grass covering the entirety of the land. All of the fauna he could see were either white or black in color. The floras were various pastel shades and were huge in comparison to…well, he wasn't sure. The trees off in the distance stood above the freighter he exited. Their trunks were thick and varied in color from green to black. The leaves were orange and yellow. Lore could hear a roar off in the distance. The roar resolved itself into a river running wild and boisterous. Near the shore, the water was calmer, and he waded into the shallows to clean himself off. Once he was clean, he stopped took a deep breath. The roaring was loud, and he realized the river ended abruptly ahead. Cautiously, he approached.

It was a great waterfall, tumbling over the cliff on which he stood to continue on 12.892 feet below. Since he had chosen this direction, he was loathe to choose another. Who knew where he would end up if he went the other way? Perhaps he was guided by instinct, some deeply-buried knowledge that this was where he needed to go to find his kind. The good people. The farther he walked, the more distance he would put between himself and the bad people.

Skirting the edge of the cliff, he found a path down. The path cut back and forth on its way down, and frequently changed from dirt and bare rock to worn steps. Many feet had traveled this way. That was a good sign. Hours of walking brought him to the foot of the cliff. Before him, lush grassland stretched, and he wondered where he should go. The triplet suns were lowering in the sky, casting long shadows to his left. He was tired. Perhaps-

* * *

Warm. Lore was so warm, and it felt amazing. There was someone holding him. It was a female. She was smiling at him. Had he done something to make her smile? That didn't matter right now. Warmth and comfort lay around him and he lay amongst all of it with the female that seemed to so delight his senses and satisfy his yearning for contact, forbidding loneliness.

"Lore. Your father and I...we need to talk to you."

"About?"

"The villagers, Lore."

* * *

Once more, Lore jerked to awareness lying on the ground, body relaxing as tension released. He could barely swallow as he stared at the darkening sky. There was no answer to the questions that burned in him. No one to ask either. He took deep breaths to calm himself. As long as he was lying down, he reasoned, he should let himself sleep. He wondered what the good people looked like. Obviously, the bad people were ugly. The good people must be beautiful. It was good he was one of them. Good people did not die.

Morning dawned brightly, and Lore dragged himself to his feet. He'd resolved during the night to strike out in search of his kind. As he walked, his brow furrowed. Something was not right. He slowed to a stop and looked around warily. He could hear... something. The "something" hit him so suddenly in the back, he was propelled into the grass. As he struggled to rise and pitch the thing off, he felt claws rake across him. More claws dug in as a fang-filled mouth clamped over his neck. He grabbed the arm and pulled, releasing its hold on him. Without thinking, he bit down on the arm hard enough to feel some give in the bone. The creature did not like being bitten, and tried to scramble away, but he was not in a forgiving mood. He tore at its flesh and kicked it until it stopped struggling. There was blood everywhere. It was pleasing...it scared him.


	2. Chapter 2

"I'll marry him," Xipil said with all the conviction her five years could muster. "Jonis is an exceptional young man."

Dimitri rolled her eyes. "Sure he is."

"And you'll marry August," the little girl informed her elder sister.

Dimitri grimaced at the thought. August was an old flame of sorts. If she were honest with herself, she would admit to just using him. August disgusted her, but he got her nice things and made her look better amongst the community. "Do not cut the cloth before the pattern is decided," she said, using her mother's words. "There's no way in Hell I'm marrying that dull-witted microbe."

"Oh, but you must," Xipil insisted. "You've kissed him, haven't you?"

"Hey!" Dimitri hissed, looking around them. "Keep it down," they were alone on the riverbank, thank goodness. "Wash your half already."

Xipil huffed and grabbed a shirt from the basket of clothes.

Ever since their great grandparents colonized the planet, they tried to make life as simple as possible. All that really meant was more work for anyone who lived there. Xipil's small hands could do little more than apply soap to stains in the clothes, which she did with unnecessary vigor. Oh how Dimitri longed for a day when Starfleet would whisk her away to some civilized planet where she could ask for anything instead of working for it. She could go to a replicator, ask for a new dress, and it would appear. She wouldn't have to buy cloth, sew the pattern and adjust it.

Their nomadic encampment was close to the forests of Nimoy, near where it split into a delta. They usually went where the grasses were lush, and there was no better place for their horses, sheep and cattle than the delta. That's how they made their money and got their food: livestock. When a good spot was found, the families that made up their group raised their shelters in a circle around a fire pit and loosed the livestock to graze. Around their camp, they would make a fence of pikes and thorns to keep animals away. They would stay for many days—weeks if the grazing was good—keeping careful watch over the herds. The children minded the chickens, and the adults guarded against predators and the occasional Cardassian that crossed the Moldorin River. Living here also meant Dimitri was no lackey with phasers.

"Well, if you don't want anyone to know, why did you let him kiss you?"

Dimitri shrugged and took the wadded up shirt from Xipil before she ruined it. "I was curious," she said as she began scrubbing the cloth against a washboard.

"What was it like?"

"Nothing special," Dimitri said. "Like kissing Theo except on the mouth."

"Ew!" Xipil grimaced, screwing up her face in exaggerated disgust. "Our brother?!"

"I know," Dimitri agreed, putting on a show of scandalized shock. "I won't be letting him do it again, I'll tell you that much!"

"But...you kissed him. You have to marry him."

"Says who?"

"Daddy kisses mommy," Xipil stated firmly, as if that fact erased all doubt.

"Well, they're married. Of course they kiss."

A slightly troubled look puckered the little girl's forehead. "Did...he kiss your mommy?" she asked in a small, uncertain voice.

Dimitri tensed as if her body was suddenly made of ice. "Yes," she said tensely.

"How goes the washing, Xippy?"

The little girl leaped to her feet with a sharp gasp, but she fought the urge to fling herself into the young man's arms. Straightening into an imperious pose, she tried to look down her nose at him even though he dwarfed her by several feet. It was Theo, Dimitri's older brother by four years. He had their mother's looks and had quite a babyish face to boot despite his age of eighteen years.

"Is that how you greet royalty?!" Xipil snapped.

Theo stifled a laugh. "Apologies, milady. Forgive me for my negligence. Have mercy upon me your most humble servant."

"That's right."

For a moment, Dimitri zoned out. She thought of her mother and how an attack from a Cardassian killed her. They found her dead and raped in the middle of nowhere, her body mutilated and barely recognizable. She had been tortured, likely for anything they knew about Starfleet. Her mother knew nothing, and she died for that transgression of knowing nothing. Dimitri and Theo grieved the most. Their father had been the fastest to recover, marrying a girl barely into her twenties while he was well into his forties. Theo forgave him by the time Xipil was born...but not Dimitri. No, an all-consuming fire still broiled in her. She would never forgive him for betraying her mother's memory for some virginal slut.

"...and you know the washing can't be done without me," Xipil's voice broke into her thoughts.

"Your wisdom in these matters is what keeps me from chafing."

"You should be grateful," Xipil acknowledged. "I've no doubt when supper is being-"

"Ah yes. I will not be here for supper."

"Whaaaaat? You can't do that without consulting me, peasant!"

"Pardon?" Dimitri asked, suddenly interested in the conversation.

"There's a skirmish in the South with some Cardassians and some village. They need able bodies. I and a few others are going to join them three miles from here. It shouldn't take too long. We'll kick ass and head back home in no time."

Dimitri sighed. "Xipil, let's get moving."

"I'll do what I want, peasant!"

_**Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Star Trek.**_


	3. Chapter 3

Xipil rarely had such a fortunate opportunity as this. The adults were occupied with saddling horses, filling bags with food and bidding farewells. By the time they left, Xipil had already wandered away from the encampment. Today, she was a giant Klingon stomping through the wilds. The grasses, tall enough to reach her chest, were actually trees, and her huge feet knocked them over with ease. Her sweeping arms pushed them aside as if they were water. Marsh fowl and small animals fled before her in terror as she interrupted their quiet surroundings

When the "trees" had been sufficiently beaten free of their concealed hosts, Xipil took off after the black horned rabbits. They were extremely hard to catch. Grinning, she carefully parted the grass and peered through towards the river. There was a man, knee-deep in the shallows. His eyes were focused intently on where his fingers moved on his head while he stared at the water. He seemed absorbed in the activity. The first thought that came to mind was that he might be one of those people who came in space ships to check on them occasionally. This man's skin was golden yellow, and his hair was brown and pushed back like a gentleman's hair. On his head though, the skin was peeled away, revealing gray bones with lights flashing all around. But he had on no clothes.

She watched him for several minutes as he continued to work, sometimes twitching as he shoved and poked. Then he looked up in her direction, and Xipil jumped back. Maybe now would be a good time to go home.

* * *

"Where the Hell have you been?" Dimitri snapped when Xipil returned. "You've been gone for hours! Dad wanted to tell you bye, idiot!"

"He's gone?"

"Yes!" Dimitri huffed with exasperation. "He's gone, Theo's gone, and ten others. Do you ever listen?"

Eric, Xipil's grandfather, strode over to the pair with a stern expression. "Easy now, Dimitri. The girl doesn't understand what's going on."

Dimitri locked her jaw and tried not to imagine throttling the old man. "Mind your own business. You aren't my relative last time I checked. Xip, you need to stay close from now on."

"There's a bad guy your daddy and brother have gone to defeat. We must stay close until they come back. Watch out for one another. I daresay I'll sleep easily knowing you are watching over your mommy and sister."

Dimitri rolled her eyes.

"Well," Xipil said slowly. "I guess…but it's sooo boring."

* * *

Lore woke with a start by the river, gasping as though the tide intended to drown him. It was dream. The one that consisted of only darkness and emptiness…a vacuum; he could remember nothing else upon waking. When his eyes opened, he would often feel the need to get his hands on something and hold on for dear life as if he'd float away. The disturbing thoughts never seemed to leave him alone. All he seemed to have for his efforts were questions and worries.

He might have been asleep for hours or minutes when he slowly drifted awake. He couldn't quite register it. He knew he was supposed to know how long, but he didn't know why. Drawing in a deep breath, Lore paused and frowned. Then he opened his eyes. A person was sitting next to him. He turned his head and looked at it quizzically. The person smiled warmly.

"Hello," it said, voice light and musical.

Blinking, he opened his mouth to speak, but he found his vocabulary was glitching. "H-He-Hello," he said slowly. There was a mechanical sound to his vocals before he hit the back of his head which seemed to fix it. Lore hadn't spoken a single word until now; there was no one to speak to up until now. He hadn't even known he could speak.

He'd never seen anyone like this person. It had long, wavy yellow hair and light skin. Its eyes were blue and it was small; he guessed it must only be four feet in height. Something in her features stirred a multitude of thoughts, too many to examine at the moment. He remained still and stared at the figure as he tried to process what he was looking at. The only clear idea that didn't confuse him was the realization that this was female.

"Are you ill?" it asked.

His brow furrowed. "No."

"Are you hurt?"

"No."

The female smiled and shifted onto her rump. "You sleep really deep. I 've been spying on you for forever, and you didn't know," she grinned, as if proud of her accomplishment.

His eyes widened. "Are you...one of the good people?"

She lifted her chin. "Of course. I'm super good," she held out her hand. "My name is Xipil."

He didn't know what to do. He just stared at the hand then looked up at the little face.

"Oh dear," she said, shaking her head. "You need to learn to be classy. Here," she reached over and took his hand. He watched, his head tilted to the side, as she hooked her fingers over his. "Now you kiss the back of my hand."

He stared blankly.

"You know what a kiss is, don't you?" she asked.

"No."

"You do this," she said, and switched their hands so she held his fingers. Then she raised his hand to her lips and pressed his knuckles with them. "There. Now you."

Awkwardly, he lifted her hand and held it to his lips. She beamed her approval, and he relaxed. He liked making her smile like that. It made him feel…less alone.

"What's your name?" she asked.

He blinked for a moment. "Lore."

"Do you live here, Lore?"

"No. I follow…the river."

"My sissy told me it's not safe," she said confidentially. "We come here every spring, and nothing ever happens. Except sometimes these...Cardassian thingys come around, and everyone gets in a tizzy."

"Ae the Casdassians…bad?"

"Absolutely," she said with confidence. "I like you, Lore, and it's not easy getting away from my sissy. She's always nosing around, keeping me from having any fun. She let a boy kiss her," she said, then dropped her voice to a whisper, "and now she won't even marry him!"

"What's…'marry'?"

"It's when a man gets on one knee and pledges his everlasting love for a lady," she said, holding her hands to her heart wistfully. "Their wrists are tied, and they jump over a broom. They kiss…a lot."

"Like I kissed you?"

"Oh, no. Not that sort of kissing," she said dismissively. "I wouldn't let you kiss me like that. Jonis would be jealous! I'll come see you tomorrow when Her Watchfulness is looking the other way."


	4. Chapter 4

Lore sat unmoving for 4.29 minutes after Xipil's little blonde head disappeared. He wasn't entirely convinced she was real and not part of his dreams. The fact that he remembered seeing her, speaking with her, must've meant she was real. If nothing else, he was convinced he was one of the good people. Surely she would have been frightened of him if he was one of the bad. So many thoughts crowded into his head when he saw her, but her talkative and friendly manner made him ignore the bad ones.

In her absence, he pieced through it, trying to make sense of it all. For some reason, the sight of her made him angry and anxious. Had he known someone like her who made him upset? Perhaps. However, any further delving only made the thoughts grow darker and less...pleasant. The anxiety wasn't any kind of fear but more of an unpleasant wariness as though sitting there with her was...wrong.

The thought was unreasonable as far as he was concerned. She was no threat to him; he had never seen her in his life. He was sure she couldn't have hurt him before he woke, either. It made no sense, so he pushed it away. He'd long since given up on trying to find answers to some of his more unanswerable questions.

Right now, he was warm. A swim in the river was sounding sweeter and sweeter. Going to the riverbank, he squatted down and dove in the way he'd seen a furry animal enter. It took him a while to get the hang of swimming on his first try. He couldn't swish his legs from side to side like the fish did, and he couldn't make a great deal of progress without paddling his limbs. He sunk straight to the bottom, but he was getting better at it with each try. That provided him with a whole new world to look at. Beneath the surface, where the light did not reach, there was a great deal of beauty. The fish that hid from his eyes above the surface flowed around him in the current and shimmered in the light from the glowing rocks at the bottom.

Often, he hadn't wanted to disturb the world below or take away from its loveliness by filling it with blood. He wasn't hungry after all; however, another part of him that thirsted for such things told him blood would improve upon the scene immeasurably. Of course, he chose to ignore it. He had to because he was one of the good people.

* * *

"Goddammit, do I have to watch you every second?" Dimitri scolded. "I turn my back for one second and you're gone!"

Xipil scuffed her toe in the dirt and kept her head bowed so her sister couldn't see her mimicking. She kept her friend to herself, suspecting that any mention of visiting him would prompt even more watchfulness from Dimitri. In any case, once he was properly attired, she would bring him to her home, where he would be safe.

"Come on. Some of the sheep have wandered off, and we've gotta bring them in," Dimitri said briskly, grabbing her walking stick. "If I'm forced to take care of all of Theo's chores, you're going to help me do it."

"Why can't Theo do it?" the little girl groused, stomping in her sister's wake.

"I've explained this a dozen times. Dad and Theo have gone with the men to the South."

"Where in the South?"

"It's a village called Liten Hest. We trade with them in the winter sometimes. They need help right now."

"Why?"

"They're in danger," Dimitri replied as patiently as she could. "Dad and Theo are going to save them."

"Oh!" Xipil said, chest puffed up with pride. "They came all this way looking for my daddy to help them?"

"Yes," Dimitri grumbled sarcastically. "Only dad can save them."

"Well, I suppose they may borrow him, but I expect him to come straight home when he's done."

Bringing the sheep in closer was a routine task that was usually easy to accomplish. They were used to being herded back within sight of the encampment, and they allowed themselves to be herded on pleasant days. Thankfully, this was one of them. The afternoon passed swiftly by, but with the watchful eye of not only Dimitri but her also her mommy on her, Xipil had no opportunity to see her new friend.

Poor Lore. He needed a friend…that was certain. Perhaps he needed a lady. Daddy was so much happier when mommy was with him. Well, since Dimitri turned her nose up at August, perhaps she might like Lore. Satisfied that they would all benefit from Lore coming to the encampment, Xipil settled herself in her bed that night and heeded the call of sleep.

* * *

"The Hell is she up to?" Dimitri wondered, seeing Xipil darting from behind a bale of hay and back into the family shelter.

Breakfast was finished, the washing up done, and now Dimitri was on her way to gather in another group of wandering grazers, but the little brat was acting suspicious. Xipil emerged holding a bundle of clothing, once again scanning the area. Her secretive manner made Dimitri duck back behind the cart she was standing near. She would follow her. Xipil was a moderate sneak, of course, but Dimitri was an expert.

While following her away from the encampment, Dimitri smirked as one startled animal after another ran for cover from the child's heedless advance. So much for trying to sneak off. Despite all this, it was worrisome Xipil was heading east again. Any other direction wouldn't have alarmed her as much, but eastward lay the river, and beyond that the forests. And what the Hell required her to bring clothes? Dimitri concealed herself as the little girl looked around the riverbank.

"Lore? Are you there?" she called. Had she found someone wandering? That wouldn't do. Hadn't they told her not to speak with outsiders when none of her elders were around?

Dimitri grasped the butt of her phaser and prepared to rise.

"Oh, there you are!" Xipil said with relief. A tall figure rose out of the tall grasses, and Dimitri froze in shock. A creature she had never seen before stood only a few yards from her innocently smiling sister.

"Xipil," it bowed and kissed the little girl's hand.


	5. Chapter 5

Dimitri was trembling. That was all she could do for several moments.

He looked so strangely Borg-like and yet very much like an average human. During the Borg raids of Starfleet outposts, their encampment was updated and warned of the possible Borg threat. She had seen Borg, and none looked quite...like him. He didn't look exactly human either though. To begin with, he was yellow in skin color, but he had a little Borg-esque machinery showing on his head. However, the machinery didn't look anything like what the Borg used. It looked much more…sophisticated. He sounded human. Most Borg sounded robotic when they spoke.

What really shocked Dimitri was how it received Xipil. He kissed her hand. A stunning thought assailed her: Xipil, that mischievous brat, dared to teach an alien her brand of manners.

"Look what I brought you," she said brightly, holding up the clothing.

Dimitri hadn't even realized he was naked, but now she stared, her mouth hanging open. Though she had shared a tent with her family all her life, there was still a certain degree of privacy. She'd never seen a naked man before, yet she guessed there was little difference between this thing's...anatomy and a man's. Her wide eyes seemed glued to his privates, and her cheeks grew hot. She wasn't ignorant though; the closeness of the family shelter never shielded her from her parents' coupling.

They thought themselves unheeded deep in the night when they reach for one another. Dimitri and Theo sometimes woke to a sharp intake of breath or a poorly concealed sigh. She understood what was done. She knew the mechanics of the act, but to see with her own eyes how a man was made inspired uncomfortable thoughts that didn't seem to invade at other times. As she watched him dress, she took note of his slim, tightly packed physique. Then it hit her that the homespun shirt and trousers he wore belonged to her father.

That seemed to break the spell she was under, and she gathered herself, rising from her hiding place and withdrawing her phaser. The thing turned his head and looked at her. Had he come at her like most assailants did, she would've fired without hesitation, but he just stood there and tilted his head curiously.

"Dimitri!" Xipil cried. "Were you spying?! How rude!"

"Come here," Dimitri snapped sternly, stepping forward and leveling the weapon at the creature's chest.

Ignoring for the moment his deceptively calm manner, she looked him directly in the eyes. His eyes were not what she expected them to be. She expected monstrous red or a demonic black to peer back at her from its face. That wasn't the case. They were a vibrant yellow, almost golden, and savagely intent. They were a predator's eyes, yet his face was open and without deceit. Dimitri felt the air knocked out of her lungs. She felt watched…stalked…vunerable.

* * *

Lore was reluctant to do anything lest the new female disappear.

He registered on some level that Xipil was a child. This female, however, was most definitely not. She was beautiful, even more so than the younger one. Her hair was longer and brighter, almost white, and her eyes held wisdom the littleone's did not. Though she had drawn a weapon on him, he could forgive her for it. He could forgive her anything. It was terrifying. The urges that plagued him returned upon seeing her, and with them came a stiffening of his member. He had no idea if it was normal, and he dared not act on it. It was a wholly unexpected reaction that utterly baffled him.

"That's not nice," Xipil admonished.

"Do it!" the female, Dimitri, snapped. Xipil did as she was told.

"You're being rude. This is Lore. He's a nice man, and he's my friend. I'm sure you'd like him if-"

"Look at him!" she hissed.

"It's not polite to stare!" the little one whispered fiercely. "He can't help how he looks, the poor thing."

"What...what do I...look like?" Lore asked. Was he deformed in some way?

* * *

Startled, Dimitri stared at him. His eyes were wide, but not from anger. His confused look had been replaced with one of concern. He seemed...troubled that she saw him as something different. It hit her then as a bolt of lightning. Five years ago, a man in their encampment was injured. For months after, he couldn't remember who he was. This... this Lore...had the same innocent, bewildered look.

She slowly lowered her phaser. "Have you...not...looked at yourself?" she asked.

The question seemed to freeze him for a moment. His strange eyes darted about as he grew more distressed. Upsetting him could be dangerous.

"Never mind. What's your name?"

"Lore...I think."

"Where did you come from?" she asked cautiously, as if she were approaching a wounded animal.

"T-The sky...I think...I don't know," his eyes pleaded with her.

"It's alright," she said gently. "We can sort it out. You came in a ship. Can you describe it?"

"Rusty...brown...lots of scrap metal."

"A barge?" Barges weren't very common near this planet. Everyone who lived on the planet lived off the land and freely chose not to use things like what barge's took and sold. There were, however, three other habited planets in the system that used machinery of that type. "Okay, from what direction did you come?"

This answer he knew, and readily pointed east.

"Did you come from across the river?"

He shook his head. "There was...a waterfall. I followed the river."

"This...waterfall," she pressed. "Is that where you lost your memory?"

He seemed confused. "That is where I woke."

"Is there...some reason you came this way?"

"I want to go...home," he said uncertainly. "Where the good people live."

"The...good people? What do you mean?"

"The good people," he repeated, nodding toward her and Xipil.

Dimitri blushed bright pink. His eyes were so…intense. "Who are the bad people then?"

"Cardies, of course," Xipil piped. "They always come and do bad things. Please, sissy!" she cried, grabbing her sister's wrist. "You said it isn't safe to be far from camp. We can't leave Lore by himself. He has to come back with us."

"Shut up, Xipil. I'm talking," Dimitri narrowed her eyes. "Who are your people?"

"The good people. People like you."

She had to look away from that intense gaze. "So...you believe you're... one of the good people."

"I must be."

Dimitri felt herself wavering, which was shocking. She was usually pretty stubborn when it came to decision making. Lore was just so...helpless. The man who had lost his memory all those years ago seemed so lost too. Looking at Lore, she realized she pitied him.

"If we don't bring him," Xipil snapped. "I'll come here every day to make sure he's safe. You'll worry about me, mommy will worry, grandfather will worry," she crossed her arms over her chest. "You should agree just to spare yourselves the misery."

"I'll just tie your foot to a stake."

"Nuh uh!"

"Watch me."

Looking back at Lore, she appraised him. He held her gaze unflinchingly. His eyes were difficult to endure; they made her feel hunted...naked. They were so piercingly focused, like the lions of the valleys to the North, but she didn't falter. Faltering would make her appear weak, and she wasn't weak.

"Sadly, I think you're right, but we should talk with your grandfather."

"Yes!" Xipil cried, clapping her hands joyfully. "Grandfather always lets me have what I want."

"Lore, gather your things."

He stared blankly at her. "I have no...things."

"Come on then, keep up."


	6. Chapter 6

It was no easy feat for Dimitri to lead their group in the right direction and keep the creature in the corner of her eye. She just could _not_ trust this strange complacence of his. Narrowing her eyes, she slowly looked at him. He gazed about in wonder, almost like a child seeing something brand new for the first time. A smile was on his face, and his eyes followed everything. He frequently turned his face toward the suns, closing his eyes and enjoying the warmth.

She was grasping at straws, trying to find fault with him beyond his suspicious appearance. Though his features were unusual, his face was open. Dimitri had no doubt emotions be easily read upon such a countenance as clearly as if written in words. While a snarling grimace would find comfortable lodging on his face, it seemed equally as accommodating to smiles.

Lore was a puzzle. Dimitri cursed her tendency to pursue mysteries as tenaciously as a hound on a scent. It was a fault she got from her mother who was a Starfleet Intelligence agent before she met Dimitri's father. As they walked, Xipil kept up continuous conversation with Lore, telling him all the things she expected of him in his new role as special friend, not the least of which was telling stories.

Lore frowned. "I don't know stories."

"Oh, but you _must,_" Xipil insisted. "You're from a spaceship. They always have stories. My favorite is about a mûmak. I don't even know what it _is_, but it's a good story. Do you know that one?"

Meanwhile, Dimitri's mind was in turmoil over what she was doing. The elders would kill her for this. He seemed tame, but what would happen when he was in the camp? She worried her lip, imagining the elders' reactions. They would probably shoot without asking. She looked over at Lore again. He seemed to be delicately balanced. The slightest prodding could easily upset the balance.

"You have _never_ seen one?!" Xipil's voice was high-pitched with shock and startled Dimitri into listening.

"I don't think so."

"The funny-eyed man told me they were as tall as trees," Xipil said. "The people live on their backs in little houses. And the people have fur! Honestly, Lore, you haven't seen much, have you?"

"I'm not sure."

Xipil's expression was exasperated, revealing her opinion that grown-ups were stupid.

"Xipil, that man's name was Geordi, and he isn't very trustworthy. You know better than to take his word."

Lore froze in his tracks for a moment, seeming to process what she had just said. Dimitri felt the tension in the air and looked from Lore to Xipil. If she moved the right way, she could get Xipil and shoot him in the same go. Dimitri took a cautious step forward and grabbed the butt of her weapon once again. Even Xipil seemed perturbed by the sudden change in Lore.

"Lore...you okay?"

He looked up. "Yes...t-that name...it sounds familiar."

Dimitri could tell the familiarity wasn't a fond one. "Do you need a moment to rest?"

"Y-Yes."

Dimitri nodded and sent Xipil for some water with a small bottle. She sat Lore down cautiously and watched him. He blinked at her and then looked away. He seemed to be troubled by something. Dimitri cautiously took his hand in hers. He looked at their hands before observing how her fingers twined with his. She put her finger over his pulse and paused. His heart felt...peculiar...like it was sloshing instead of pulsing.

"Are there...any more like you?"

"I don't know. I think there are. Shouldn't there be?"

"I'm sure you'll remember."

Dimitri withdrew when Xipil headed their way. She sat with Lore while Dimitri made cool cloths for their necks. After that, they got up and started heading for the settlement. As they neared the encampment, Dimitri stopped and turned to Xipil once again. "Go get your grandfather...and your mom," she glanced at Lore.

The little girl gave her an odd look, then shrugged and took off.

Lore tilted his head curiously.

"They'll to be cautious of you, Lore, because you're an...outsider."

He looked at his hip. "But I have no weapon."

"I know," she said quietly with embarrassment in her cheeks. She could still imagine his nude body and those smooth muscles. "I don't think you'll cause harm," she said softly.

"I'm one of you. Good people do no harm."

Thankfully, she saw Eric and Ro approaching at that time. Being alone with Lore wasn't doing her intellect any favors. Even at a distance, she could see their impatience with the impish little girl running at their side, and of course, Xipil's mouth was in constant motion. She could see the precise point at which Eric realized his granddaughter hadn't dragged home a wild animal _this_ time. His eyes widened with alarm. Ro pulled her daughter into a protective hug and stopped several yards away. Panicking, Dimitri stepped forward to place herself between Lore and Eric.

The old man was in a fury. "What is _that_?" he roared. "What is it?"

"I don't know what he is, but I know he has amnesia. He doesn't know who he is. He came off of a barge. He doesn't know _what_ he is either."

He frowned at Dimitri. "He thinks he's one of _us? _How can he think that? Has he not seen his own face?" he eyed Lore warily, scanning him up and down.

Lore shifted nervously beneath the man's gaze, but he neither turned away or bristled.

"What are you called?" Eric asked, narrowing his eyes.

"I think I'm...Lore."

"Very well...Lore," he said. "You wish to join us?"

"I'm one of the good people," Lore said urgently. "I don't want...to be alone anymore. _Please_."

Eric blinked with surprise. "I can't make that decision. Admitting...an outsider affects us all," he said. "I will call the other elders into council, and we'll see what's decided."

Sighing, he gestured for them all to follow him, and he led them into the encampment.

"Why did he react that way?" Lore asked as they walked.

Dimitri bit her lip. "You look very much like an enemy our people faced. Not us specifically though just...our species. They were called the Borg. They looked like us but had machinery on their bodies. They were bluish grey, and they sounded very...robotic."

"Am I...Borg?" he asked worriedly.

"I don't think so. You don't exhibit any signs of that species except for well, that injury. Does it hurt?"

"A little...I feel like it shouldn't though. I don't know why."

Lore sat outside a tent, arms draped over his upraised knees. Dimitri sat near him, fussing with her long pleated skirt. Little Xipil had been taken away and was likely in the family shelter. She watched him through her peripheral vision as he stared in awe at their settlement. She herself was in awe of him. He was from another place...another world. If only he could regale her with stories about battles or diplomacy missions like her mother once did. She wanted to explore not live like some ancient pilgrim from the West!

"Dimitri," Lore ventured. She jumped when she heard her name. He smiled a little. "What do you sleep on?"

Her cheeks turned red. Was he trying...to flirt with her or... "What...do you mean?"

He pointed at the nearest shelter. "On the outside, they look...like home."

"Do...you rember something like this?" she asked.

Lore's forehead furrowed. "I don't think so."

"The outside is made from cowhide held up by a wood skeletal structure underneath. That's how it makes a dome shape. Once the skeleton is up, we put up woven-together chaqaw branches for insulation and rain proofing. Inside, there is a small fire pit. We sleep on pallets," she explained. "We make them from sheep wool."

From inside the shelter they sat in front of, there were raised voices. Because they spoke their native tongue, Dimitri understood a few of the words and cringed. She met Lore's worried look and tried to smile. The elders didn't seem to look to fond of letting Lore stay with them.

"That was Sig," she told him. "He's hot-headed. He's a species called Klingon; they're all hot-headed."

"I don't...want to cause trouble, but I don't want to be alone."

"I understand. Hengist is reasonable. He's half Bajoran, and he lost his family too. You'll win him over easily. Eric will have you present yourself soon, and they'll see you mean no harm."

He met her gaze briefly, then flicked his eyes about the encampment. Every time his eyes met hers, she found it more difficult to breathe. Her heart raced in her chest and her soul was lit on fire. Then the thick jagal-skin serving as a door was shoved aside.

"Come inside," Eric said brusquely. "You too, Dimitri."


	7. Chapter 7

When Hengist and Sig passed the creature by to enter the tent, their brows furrowed. Sig curled his lips in disgust in a sharp-toothed snarl. Hengist was more startled than anything. They now sat in the center of the shelter reserved solely for official meetings and glowered at Eric. It was like that for several tense moments as Hengist poured ginger water.

"Is this is some sort of joke?" Hengist asked dryly, breaking the silence.

"What," Sig began, then faltered. "What _is it_? The...thing _looks_ like Borg, yet..."

"I know," Eric nodded. "My granddaughter found it...him. Wandering about."

Sig snorted. "When are such beasts _ever_ alone? They are of one mind. There will be others now that he knows our location. Likely he is a spy or scout."

"I drew my phaser on him, and he did nothing. He did not even raise a hand to defend himself. I sense no malice in him," Eric stated firmly.

"He didn't perceive a threat then."

"Do you doubt my word?" Eric asked, arching his brow.

Shifting slightly, Sig ground his jaw. "I doubt _his_. If an attack is coming, he will know. I say we make him talk. Make him tell us what he knows."

Eric and Hengist stared hard at Sig. "If he says nothing, if he _knows _nothing, are you saying we should torture him? The Federation-"

"Is not here," Sig snarled, holding his head up higher. "And won't be for many months. They would likely do the same."

"I understand your concerns," Eric said carefully. "They are mine as well, old friend, but I don't think he can tell us such things. He remembers nothing."

Sig rolled his eyes. "He's lying."

"You may have a different opinion when you meet him," Eric said stiffly.

"What purpose is served by bringing him here?" Hengist asked.

"My reasons are these: If he _does_ pose a threat, it would ease _my_ mind to keep him where he can be watched," he said, holding up an arthritic finger. "However, I am not convinced that he's_ a threat_. He suffers from severe amnesia. There's also the matter of our needs now that the young men have left. A strong workman shouldn't be turned away, and as long as he believes himself one of us-"

"One of _us_?!" Sig exploded. "Is he blind as well as stupid? He couldn't be 'one of us.' What madness afflicts him that he believes otherwise?"

"He's not mad," Eric said calmly. "Nor is he stupid. I'd say, in his present state, he poses little threat to us. He believes himself a Man like us."

"He will not always be so forgetful," Sig snapped. "Amnesia is temporary. When he heals, he'll destroy us."

"Or," Hengist said thoughtfully. The crafty man was always a tactician at heart. "He may take our side. A wild animal can be tamed with kindness. He thinks himself a Man, so we treat him as such. Should he recall what he is, perhaps he'll remember our good deeds."

"What if it's being cruel and deceitful?"

"Is it?" Hengist challenged. "Two young ladies of our camp found him and were moved to bring him here. At the very least, Dimitri knows what a threat looks like. Even someone like _him_ bears enough resemblance to Borg that she'd be cautious. Words alone cannot have swayed her."

"Indeed," Eric agreed.

"And you say the little one, Xipil, found him first?" Hengist continued mildly, and Eric nodded. "Found him, spoke with him, and then went _back_ to see him. Were he cruel _wouldn't_ he have given the child reason _not_ to return?"

"She likely wouldn't have returned to _us_," Sig grumbled. "So you'll embrace this creature, then? Invite him into our camp, allow him free rein to come and go as he pleases? What next? Will he marry one of our daughters as well?"

"Be serious," Eric growled. "I wished only to discuss the option of taking him in and _only_ for as long as he remains civil."

"Civil," Sig mocked. "Shall I next see a kindly lion or a fish that walks on land?" Sig crossed his arms over his chest and scowled.

"Then we are in agreement," Eric said, doing his best to mask his distaste. That the debate hadn't reached a satisfactory conclusion was rather upsetting. "He'll come before you, and you'll hear him speak. Then we'll reconvene tomorrow and decide."

Lore entered the tent in Eric's wake with Dimitri following behind him. The other two men stood in the center, arms folded over their chests. One of the men had ridges on his nose that looked odd. The other had a head full of ridges, muscles and sharp teeth. Though there were differences in their faces and clothing, they both looked a good deal like Eric: stern of face, with beards silvering from age. Their hair was similarly poised between fully white and the color of their youth. _They'd decide whether he lived or died_. He wasn't clear where the surety came from, but it was strong.

"Lore, you stand before the elders," Eric said solemnly, and Lore's eyes darted to his face and then Dimitri's for reassurance. "You'll be asked questions. You must answer truthfully. Any attempt to deceive us will not be met favorably. Do you understand?"

Swallowing hard, Lore nodded.

The two others exchanged surprised looks, but he had no idea why. Had he done something wrong already? Something in him-something dark-told him it was typical. He was a failed design. Lore tried to ignore the thoughts.

"Sit," Eric said, gesturing to a pallet of furs in front of Lore.

He cautiously sat, unsure if he was doing it right. Dimitri sat on a similar pallet nearby, keeping everyone in her sight.

"Eric says you are called Lore," Sig said loftily.

Lore nodded.

"Tell me...Lore. What is the first thing you remember?"

Wracking his brain, Lore forced himself to think back to that moment. It was not a comfortable memory, and he had shied away from it for some time. "There was pain. Scrap metal all around. Dead people were on the ship. Many of them," his breath had quickened as some of the fear and anxiety returned.

"Tell me of the people. What were they like?"

Struggling to swallow, Lore trembled and could not meet this man's gaze. "They were...ugly. Angry. Big ears and sharp teeth," he said, his voice dropping to nearly a whisper as he became intensely focused on describing the people.

"Ferengi."

"I see," Sig replied awkwardly. "Where did this...happen? Do you recall?"

Lore was still fighting the urge to flee and couldn't think straight. After a few false starts, he finally spoke. "The ship is back up the river to where it becomes many and feeds the big river. There is a waterfall. That's where I was when I woke up."

"I know the place you speak of," Hengist said. "The falls are called Racros."

"I didn't know what it was called."

"Where are you bound, eh?"

Lore was oblivious to their glares at the Klingon, and tried to answer the question. "I look for what...I think...is home. I don't know why."

"Now, Lore," Eric said with an exasperated sigh. "Tell us of the good people."

"_You_ are the good people. You do no harm. You don't cause pain. You...are _good_. You destroy what's bad."

"What of the bad people? What are they like?"

His face contorted in a scowl. "They are animals. They are foul. They cause pain and laugh. They make others scream and weep; it amuses them. They destroy what is good, and especially what is beautiful."

Lore couldn't help it. His eyes darted to Dimitri. It was difficult looking away from her reddening face. He wanted to be closer to her. She was one of the very good people, and she was his friend.


	8. Chapter 8

When they all left the elder's shelter and went their separate ways, Eric guided Lore to a shelter on the North side of the encampment. The sun had gone down, and the people of the camp were beginning to retire for the night. Lore's gaze was locked on Dimitri all that time, and he felt a slight tremor of longing watching her enter a different shelter than the one Eric was heading for. Those hips swayed so gracefully in the long black skirt, and the shirt with bell sleeves complimented her figure in an…almost teasing way. Why could he not sleep next to her?

"Dimitri sleeps in her own place?" he asked.

Eric gave him a hostile look. "Never you mind what she does," he snapped. "She's not your concern."

The inside of the shelter Lore was guided into was comfortable and warm. Lore's eyes scanned the contents, noting bundles of hides and various tools he didn't recognize. Only one tool looked familiar: a probing device that was meant for cybernetics. How did he know that? A large pallet of furs lay in one corner, and there were no other exits than the one he walked through. Then Eric was standing directly in front of him with a stern look on his face.

Lore started with surprise.

"I've seen your eyes on Dimitri," he hissed. "Point them elsewhere. You look at her in a way I don't like. Do I make myself clear?"

He should have known the urges were bad. Of course they were. He was stupid. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't...I'll stop looking at her."

Somewhat mollified, Eric released some of his tension. "You'll sleep here tonight. If the elders vote in favor of letting you join us, you may stay here. I haven't had anyone else in here since Gertrude died," he said with a deep sadness.

"What is...'died'?"

Eric seemed surprised. "It uhm...means someone stopped living. They ceased to exist in this plane," he said. "What skills do you have?"

Lore shrugged. "I don't know. I...think I am strong. Animals cannot hear me coming."

"Is that so? Perhaps you're suited to hunting and fishing. I don't think you'd do well with the horses."

"Horses? What are they?"

"Tall animals," Eric replied, and began preparing a pallet for Lore on the far side of the shelter from his own. He took several bundles and knelt to unroll them into a reasonably thick mattress.

"Like...mûmak?"

Eric chuckled. "No, not near as tall as that."

* * *

"They'll make him go away!" Xipil wailed in her mother's arms. "It is not his fault he's ugly!"

Dimitri had never seen the girl so distraught.

Ro rocked her and spoke soothing words, but seemed otherwise at a loss. "Come now. He's an outsider. The elders must decide for Lore as they did when the Janesun family wished to join us. They'll treat him fairly."

"They won't," she insisted. "They don't like me. They'll send him away because I like him. He's my Lore!"

"Dearest," Ro admonished. "That's not true. Your grandfather loves you, and Hengist has never voiced a low opinion of you."

"He thinks you're quite the lady," Dimitri added sarcastically.

"Dimitri."

"Sig doesn't like me."

Dimitri rolled her eyes. "Sig is Klingon and has a stick shoved up his ass."

"Dimitri, shame on you," Ro admonished. "They won't make a poor decision, Xipil. They must take our lives into account. If they feel Lore poses a threat, they'll send him away."

"Did he...did he backtalk?" Xipil sniffled, her large wet eyes fixed on her sister.

"No," Dimitri said, smiling a little. "He was a gentleman."

"Off to bed with you," Ro said, taking advantage of the girl's calm. "You've had a busy day."

The little girl slumped off to her pallet and snuggled in amongst the furs and blankets. While Dimitri tucked her in, a mischievous gleam appeared in Xipil's eyes. "I hope he stays," she whispered. "I think he's nice. You should kiss him to see what it's like."

Dimitri's heart stopped. She briefly considered strangling and shaking her to death in that moment.

"Xipil," Ro hissed. "What possessed you to say that?"

As usual, the little girl's "whispers" could be heard within shouting distance. Pouting, she pretended to be asleep.

"Dimitri-"

"It's fine," she said tensely, going to lay out her bed.

"May we...talk? You haven't been acting yourself lately. You've been more hardheaded."

"It's none of your business. Why would I tell you anyway? It's not like you're actually kin to me," she said, watching the pained expression on Ro's face. "Goodnight."

* * *

Anger.

That's all Lore felt. It coursed through his body, igniting his limbs and blurring his vision, banishing all thought from his mind except the urge to kill. He wanted to feel that satisfaction of watching the life leave a being's eyes and hear their last breath leave their body. He needed to do it; the agitation in his veins was becoming unbearable. He had no regard for who he killed, he didn't care if it was a monster or an ordinary citizen, he had to do it; it had to happen.

He waited in an alley, his back against a brick wall. Finally, after a half an hour, a door burst open and a black woman walked out.

"Hey," Lore called. "Excuse me. Do you know where I can find Dr. Soong?"

The woman startled at first before smiling and approaching. She squinted into the darkness, attempting to get a closer look at Lore's shrouded features. Lore took the moment to size her up. She was wearing something Vulcan even though she was distinctively human. This was one of those women who called him a monster. He'd show her. He'd show them all.

"Of course. What's your name?"

"It doesn't matter," Lore said, stepping within five feet of the woman.

"Why's that?"

"Because I'm going to kill you."

The woman's eyes widened and she moved to turn and run towards the street. Her slow reflexes, however, were no match for a superior being like Lore. Rushing forward, Lore put his fingernails against her neck. He pulled swiftly across, and blood began spilling out. The woman attempted to scream, but the only noise that came out was a weak gurgling.

Grabbing the woman by the arm, Lore dragged her deeper into the alley, masking both of them from view. When he had dragged her far enough, he dropped her to the ground. However, when he looked down, it wasn't that old black woman...it was Dimitri. Panic flared up in Lore's chest as she stared up at him pleadingly. She was trying to speak as she reached out for him, but she couldn't reach.

What had he done?!


	9. Chapter 9

Eric watched the creature carefully the following morning, for the night had not been uneventful. Lore appeared to be plagued with awful night terrors. Escape from whatever he was seeing seemed to be the chief worry in these nightmares, and what concerned him most was the word "Dimitri" on the creature's panicked lips. Eric had never seen such a bad case of night terrors in his life, and he wasn't certain he wished to ask about them.

"Please stay here, Lore," he said when the creature made to rise from his pallet. "We'll make our decision this morning. It'd be best if you stay here."

Lore nodded as he stretched out on his pallet.

Nodding his farewell, Eric left the shelter. It amazed him that he had no worries the creature would disobey. There was a childlike innocence about Lore that he found…incongruous. As he neared the tent, Eric realized that causing harm simply wasn't Lore's way. It was not in his nature. He seemed to be reacting to the world in response to how it acted upon him. Like a child, he trusted first; he assumed the people of the encampment were "good" and wouldn't hurt him, so he didn't go to them with ill intent. He wanted to be accepted by them.

By the time Eric reached his destination, he was confident in Lore's integrity and had no misgivings regarding the safety of the encampment. Even the possibility that he had taken a liking to Dimitri didn't seem nearly as threatening as before. He told him the girl was out of bounds, and he received no argument from Lore on the subject, merely childlike acceptance. No more needed to be said.

Sig, as expected, feigned surprise that Eric lived through the night. "You draw breath this morning! Were you obliged to slay the thing in the night?"

"Hardly," Eric replied witheringly. "I wish to get on with the day, and not spend it with you. Speak and be quick."

"I have given it thought," Hengist interjected. From long association, he knew to get his words in ahead of Sig's or they would never be heard. "Your...survival of the night," he said, ducking his head a moment to cover his mirth at Sig's expense. "Does strengthen my opinion. I vote yes. He may join, on condition that he be watched. Under no circumstance should he be allowed time alone with any of the women. For their own safety, I believe it would be best if they worked in pairs. All who know how to use weapons should bear them, and I speak this not simply because of Lore. I looked to the south and saw smoke."

"Agreed. Sig?"

"Do you even need to ask?" Sig snapped. "No."

"I say yes," Eric growled. "You're outvoted. Lore may stay."

"The vote should be unanimous," Sig protested.

Hengist chuckled. "The decisions have always been by majority. We won't change the rules to assuage your bruised pride."

"It's decided then. Lore can stay."

* * *

After Eric left, Lore occupied himself in the shelter examining all of the fascinating objects that were hung up and propped against the walls. There were snares of varying styles and purposes, constructed of materials easily obtained. He had globes and books, glass that made things big, and he had tools of varying technological types. He even had several star charts in boxes that illuminated the ceiling when activated.

Turning one of the traps in his hands, Lore noted the strength and manner in which the snare was likely set. The rug covering the doorway suddenly moved aside, admitting Dimitri with a basket of bread. She started, seeing Lore alone. They stared at each other for several moments before Lore remembered being told not to look at her. He tore his gaze away and fixed it on the floor. He got a good look at her before though and saved it in his memory banks.

Dimitri was wearing a long sleeved cotton dress with a wool belt of intricate design that fit snugly about her waist. Her feet were covered with black boots, and her hair was in a thick braid. Her cheeks were flushed, and her lips had increased in size by .23% and were moistened with and oddly arousing pink tongue.

"I...thought I might catch Eric before he left," Dimitri murmured. "I made bread."

"He...left," Lore told the rug that covered the ground.

"Would you...like some bread?"

Not trusting himself to speak, Lore swallowed hard and nodded.

"Very well," Dimitri said. "We'll eat together. It's a bad omen to eat alone. Tell me, Lore," she said to keep up the conversation. "What sorts of things did you do on the river?"

Lore chewed a mouthful of bread and glanced up to meet her eyes. They were two different shades of blue. One looked more green and lighter than the other. None of the other people had that. How fascinating. He could gaze into those eyes for hours. "Swimming, mostly. I tried to fix my head. I think it's still broken."

"Do you swim well?" she asked.

He chuckled nervously. "I don't really float. I sink."

Her cheeks became dark red as she averted her gaze. Had he said something wrong?

Once more, the rug gave way to someone entering the shelter, this time it was Eric. He started with surprise. "You have made bread, Dimitri?" he asked stiffly.

Lore was confused. He sounded upset. Lore wasn't looking at her though. He was trying hard not to look, but it was just so tempting.

"Yes, Eric," Dimitri said nervously as she rose and offered the basket. "We were sampling it."

"Of course," he said, eying them both. "Are you...well?" he asked uncertainly.

"Never better."

"Come outside for a moment," he said sternly. Casting a narrow-eyed look at Lore, he added: "Stay here."

Lore nodded, still frowning in confusion. What had he done this time?

* * *

"Was he there when you arrived?" Eric asked.

"Yes" Dimitri replied, bewildered. "What's wrong?"

Eric relaxed. "He must have been a soldier. He obeys orders quite well." Then he frowned. "Some of them, at any rate. He was looking at you again. I told him to stop."

"Why would you-" she faltered. "Oh my God, he barely looked at me. Why would you tell him that?!"

Eric sagged with relief. "I just don't want him looking at you, simply put. Now why were you blushing when I entered? Did he say or...do anything inappropriate?"

Dimitri retreated to indignation to hide her guilt for her own indiscreet thoughts. When Lore told her of his swimming, she remembered seeing him naked and...well...imagined him holding her in the water. Naked. It was certainly nothing she wanted to tell this old man. Folding her arms defiantly over her chest, she snapped: "I daresay if he had I'd have kicked his ass. We talked about swimming, and that's all."

Eric reluctantly conceded. "Very well."

"Now what's this about telling him not to look at me?"

"It's not that he looks at you; it's the way he does it."

"What does that mean?!" she asked impatiently.

"He looks at you...with greater interest than...is appropriate," he ventured delicately.

"Are you saying," she said quietly, her arms unfolding. "He looks at me like August does?"

Her heart was racing in her chest as dopamine and adrenaline flooded her system. Could it be possible that Lore felt an equal or possibly greater attraction for her than she for him? Her eyes dilated, her lips swelled slightly and the air around her seemed to be getting thinner though she tried hard to hide it from Eric. If he found out…she'd never hear the end of it.

Eric snorted. "No. August looks at you with the soppy, lovesick eyes of an infatuated dog. Lore doesn't look at you that way."

"How, then?"

"He looks at you... as Coenred looked upon your mother and Ro now. A man to a woman."

Dimitri's eyes could not have been wider. Her breath quickened, and she stared at Eric'sshelter as if she could see through the walls to Lore. She could feel the goosebumps forming on her arms.

"I thought you should know," Eric said quickly. "I don't want you to be alone with him...just have another person with you when he's around."

Dimitri barely nodded her acknowledgement. Her thoughts were more jumbled and confused than they had been before she realized he might have felt the same way as her. "Then...the vote's been cast in his favor? Lore will stay?"

"Yes."

"Where will he be staying?"

"With me. I spoke with him last night. He seems to be suited to hunting and fishing. Hengist intends to take him today. I suggested taking Xipil and Jonis, since they're so friendly."

Dimitri smiled, finally finding a different subject to ruminate on. "Xip has selected Jonis as her husband. I've no doubt he bucks like a colt against those claims."

"He'll learn she can't be denied. He should hope she becomes distracted."

"Easily managed," Dimitri laughed.


	10. Chapter 10

Eric led Lore to Ro's shelter where she and her daughter waited. Dimitri walked on his other side, keeping her head bowed and eyes averted. After being reminded yet again in front of Dimitri of the inappropriateness of his scrutiny, Lore kept his eyes on the ground. Lore wasn't the only one Dimitri couldn't face though. One glance at Ro told her all she needed to know. Flinching, she stared at the rug on the floor of the shelter with a stare of imminent death. It was Ro's habit when Coenred was gone to call on Eric to provide what she felt was the "necessary authority" to deal with Dimitri. It was ludicrous. Simply tell her what was wanted, and she'd do it if the request was reasonable. Evidently because she was not Dimitri's mother, Ro was squeamish about exercising privilege granted by her marriage to Dimitri's father. Excellent.

Ro held Xipil's shoulders, imposing a degree of propriety on the over-excited child. Her eyes were still puffy from her morning cry over losing "her Lore." Once all were assembled, Eric cleared his throat. "The elders have met and decided. Lore may stay. His duties will be-"

Xipil screamed.

She broke away from her mother and flung herself at Lore, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. He lifted his arms out of the way and stared down at the girl, utterly shocked. Helpless, he looked up and met Dimitri's amused gaze. She shyly grinned, and he smiled in return. She had to tear her eyes from his after a lingering moment though. Now that she knew of his affections for her, it was much easier to see. He was now kneeling at eye-level with Xipil, grinning as she told him how she preferred her "servant" to walk behind her and carry her train.

* * *

Lore felt Dimitri's eyes on him once more and dared a glance, even if he knew it was wrong of him. He'd memorized her scent from the beginning and could easily isolate it. It was a mix of wormwood, cardamom, hyssop, chromium, calcium and magnesium. She seemed to be giving off a slightly different scent that aroused him. Pheremones. It seemed to beg him to look at her, be closer to her, touch her. Swallowing the forbidden urges, he made himself look at Xipil again.

"Pay attention, Lore!" she scolded. "Now, I understand I'll be fishing today. I won't bait my own hooks, since it's nasty. That'll be your job."

"Xipil, he isn't your slave," Dimitri grumbled.

"Xipil, you'll bait your hooks and you will be kind to Lore," Ro said firmly.

"I don't mind," Lore said.

"Oh, you will," Dimitri predicted. "Trust me, you will."

"Eric, are you here?" a voice from outside the shelter called.

"Yes, come in, Hengist," Eric replied.

Hengist entered, followed by his grandson, Jonis. The boy had flaming locks that flowed like gentle waves of lava about his shoulders. His face, on the other hand, was anything but soft.

"Eric says you fish, Lore," Hengist said good-naturedly. "Do you have your own pole?"

"Pole?"

"Yes," Hengist said. "A fishing pole. Have you one of your own?"

"I... don't know. What's it for?"

"Fishing, of course," Jonis said with exasperation.

Xipil shot him an angry look and boorishly stomped his foot.

"Well, then," Hengist said, clapping his hands together. "Shall we be off? My good wife has instructed me that if I am able to secure some eels, she might allow me shelter for the night."

"You should never have let her taste one," Dimitri said with a smile.

"Indeed, it was my undoing," the elder agreed with a good-natured sigh.

"Will you come?" Lore asked of Dimitri's feet, barely seen peeking from beneath her skirt hem.

"I...I would like to, but," she replied awkwardly to the rug.

"But she must fetch a herd of cattle from the north reach," Ro interjected.

"Yes," Dimitri agreed.

"Come along, now," Hengist said, and led his troops out of the shelter. Lore cast one look back at Dimitri, managing to catch her eye, then let the rug fall as he left.

* * *

"Father, speak with her," Ro snapped impatiently, urging a flinch from Dimitri and a look of startled surprise from Eric as soon as the others were out of earshot.

"Certainly," he replied automatically, then frowned. "What about?"

Glancing at Dimitri's face, Ro folded her arms over her chest. "I don't like the looks she gives that thing," she hissed. "And I can't get an honest answer from her about what goes through her mind when she does look at him."

"What-"

"I haven't lied," Dimitri flared defensively. "What I think is none of your concern, you bitch!"

"It is my concern if you put yourself in danger!" she cried. "I know you are young and believe yourself perfect! But I don't want you making a tragic mistake."

"He's done nothing! You accuse him unjustly."

"Do I? I have seen how he looks at you! Your coy glances and shy smiles do nothing but encourage attention."

"Both of you wait a moment!" Eric roared, silencing both women. He looked furiously from one woman to the other. Pointing to Ro, he said carefully: "Are you accusing Dimitri of...harboring affection for Lore?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. She denies it, but I'm not so old that I cannot still recognize it when I see it."

"Because you're only two years older than me!"

Eric stared at Dimitri in shock. "You...said nothing of this...when I..."

"There's nothing to say! It's no one's bus-...I cannot believe you! I treat him with kindness, and you assume this?"

"Deny it, then," Ro challenged. "Look me in the eyes and tell me you feel nothing for Lore."

Dimitri huffed. "No. Why would I want to look at your ugly mug?"

Eric was silent for a moment.

Ro took a steadying breath. "I don't want you to be alone with him," she said firmly. "In such a small encampment, I know forbidding you from seeing him is unreasonable. You'll go about your duties as you have, and you'll not speak with him. Do you understand?"

"Fuck you, I have work."

* * *

"Don't know why it matters," Jonis grumbled as he scrubbed the dirt from his hands in the shallows. "Puttin' on airs."

"Oh, do speak up," Xipil said witheringly as she continued to swipe at the dirt stain on her sleeve. "What did you grab me for?"

"There was a deer up river," he explained. "Had a fawn with it. Thought you might wanna see'em. But your belly-achin' done scared'em away."

"Why didn't you say so?!" she wailed. "Oh, you are impossible. I shan't marry you if you continue to be so rough with me."

"Praise the Prophets," he muttered. Standing and shaking the water from his hands, he saw something strange to the southeast. "Looky there," he said, pointing.

Huffing impatiently, Xipil looked where he was pointing and frowned. "What is it?"

"That's fire," he whispered. The two children's eyes met, then they turned and ran back to Hengist and Lore in a panic.


	11. Chapter 11

Hengist cursed his aging eyes as he shaded them against the morning sun. Just as Jonis reported, there were multiple plumes of smoke across the river to the south. The elder suspected that the causes of those fires marched beneath them.

"They're still a few miles off," he murmured, squinting hard to make out details. He shook his head. "They can't possibly be friendly if they come from that direction." Turning to his grandson, he gripped the boy's shoulder. "Your sharp eyes may have saved us, Jonis."

"Momma's gettin' in the herd from the east," he said stiffly. "She went east, granddad."

"I know," he growled. Glancing at Lore's uncertainty, he gestured across the river. "The bad people," he said simply.

He was surprised to see Lore's entire demeanor change almost instantly. The creature's brow furrowed, casting a deep shadow over his piercing yellow eyes. A hostile grimace contorted his face. His fists clenched, and a low growl poured out of him.

"Lore?" Hengist whispered cautiously.

"Give me a weapon," Lore growled. "I'm not them."

"We must gather our people and move before we're hit," Hengist said. "All who are scattered about the plains must abandon the herds now. Come," he turned and walked briskly back to camp.

* * *

Xipil grabbed Jonis' hand and nearly bowled him over trying to get closer to the adults. For once, the boy didn't impatiently push her away. Eyes focused ahead, Lore's thoughts were shifting to strategy and tactic. It was a large group of bad people. If all of them came at once, none of them would stand a chance. All who could fight had to be armed immediately.

Suddenly, Dimitri's face swam to the forefront of his thoughts and he faltered. Like Jonis' mother, she was away from the camp. Far from him...where he couldn't protect her. Fear assumed complete control over him, and he hastened past Hengist, and then broke into a run. He had to find her. His arrival ahead of Hengist was met with shocked looks and fearful whispers. Lore paid them no heed; he burst into Ro's shelter, assuming Eric would still be there.

He was not, and Ro, busy sorting laundry, nearly fell over backwards. "Lore!" she cried, clutching her heart. "What in-"

"Bad people!" he barked, pointing southeast. "Past the river, few miles. Where is Dimitri?"

Ro's eyes widened, and she shot to her feet. "She has gone with A'Zet to the north pasture. Can you ride?"

"Ride what?" he asked, startled.

"You must hurry!" she said urgently, pushing him out ahead of her. "Can you ride?"

She was steering him towards a large animal he hadn't seen before. His exposure to the encampment had been minimal so far; he didn't consciously recognize this creature. He dug in his heels and shied away from it. The beast didn't appear to want anything to do with him, either. The horse tossed its head and flared its nostrils, backing away to the end of its tether. Ro struggled with the lead rope with increasing distress.

"I can run," Lore said. "Fast and far, I can run."

"You'll...see that she's safe?" she asked nervously.

"I'll guard her with my life," he replied firmly.

"You don't know the way," she whispered.

Lore's expression softened somewhat, almost reassuringly. "I know her smell. I'll find her."

She began rummaging around. "We'll have to move. We can't wait for your return."

"I'll find you too," he assured.

"Here," she said briskly, going straight to a chest by her bed. She presented him with a high density beam phaser rifle. Wait, how did he know that? Had he seen one before? Hesitating only a moment, she hastily belted the phaser to Lore's back. "Run fast," she breathed.

Lore nodded sharply and left the hut with all speed.

* * *

"We must assume the town has fallen, then," Eric said solemnly. "War has come."

The elders had gathered all those left in the encampment in the center next to the smoldering firepit. The first thing Hengist did upon arriving was smother the flames to hide any smoke.

"Interesting that this thing arrives just as they attack, isn't it?" Sig snarled. "Where can we possibly go that he will not slink off in the night and inform his fellows of? Hmm?"

"Mind your tongue," Hengist snapped.

Their numbers were severely reduced and scattered to the winds, trying to protect their herds. They were more vulnerable now than they'd ever been.

"Granddad," Jonis said stiffly. "Granddad."

"Yes?" Hengist asked impatiently.

"Mom's gone east," he reminded. "Gotta bring'er back."

The elder steeled himself and knelt to look at the young boy. Jonis hadn't been the same since his injury and the loss of his father. "You know where she's gone?"

Jonis nodded.

"Saddle a horse. Her sister is with her, if I'm not mistaken. Bring them home."

He nodded and sprinted off.

"Is he going alone?" Xipil asked nervously as Ro embraced her shoulders.

"He's no fool," she said. "He'll be careful."

"But...without me?" Tears welled in her eyes. Then she seemed to notice something. "Where's Lore?"

Ro darted a look at Eric, then averted her eyes. "He's gone to find Dimitri."

"He what?!" Sig roared. "My only granddaughter is with her! You sent that thing after them? Are you mad?"

"Sig!" Eric and Hengist barked in unison. Eric continued on: "Collect yourself! We have to move. We'll take down the three largest shelters. There are few enough of us left that everyone will fit. Ro, see to the children."

"Oswin, Bernadette, Xipil come with me," Ro called and led the anxious children away.

The encampment soon became a flurry of activity as livestock was gathered, horses were saddled or harnessed, and goods were flung into carts. Every so often, eyes flicked south, dreading to see dark figures coming from the river banks. Fortune was with them for the moment; Jonis' sharp eyes saw the enemy long before their encampment was spotted, and they were able to clear out in time. All that remained were the missing members of the camp scattered in the opposite direction from where their families were forced to flee.

* * *

"Get that mare, she's one of your family's," Dimitri called, exasperated.

It seemed Sig's herd was stubbornly belligerent with any but his immediate family. Every time she got near, they would run. She was certain they did it to taunt her. A'Zet swung her horse's head around and headed back to pick up the obstinate straggler, clucking her tongue and tapping rumps with a long cane as she guided her horse through the throng. There were a few dozen in this herd, a mix of horses from several families. The two had been hard pressed to drive the herd south; the lead mare was in a particularly stubborn mood and kept trying to lead them in any direction but the desired one.

"This is getting us nowhere," Dimitri muttered wearily. Easing her horse to a halt, she wiped her forehead and checked the sun's position. Then she frowned. A dark figure was heading in their direction from the camp. Shielding her eyes against the sun's glare, she squinted across the distance. "Lore?" she murmured. "What the Hell?"

Lore was running in her direction. She didn't even question why he would be coming for them. Her gut clenched automatically. Kicking her horse's flanks, she urged it to meet him as quickly as possible. When she reached Lore, she jumped from the saddle and fell…on him. They both toppled over, but he held her tightly to keep her safe during the fall...at least, that's what she thought he was doing. She chose not to dwell on it. Something must've been terribly wrong for her family to send him after what was said that morning.

"Bad people," Lore said urgently, unfazed by the run. "The camp is moving. You must come back."

"Lore," Dimitri whispered in his ear. She couldn't let go now. Was it fear...or something else? "You ran all the way?"

"I must keep you safe," he replied. As he recovered from the fall, his grip on her slowly eased, but he pulled her even closer, pressing as much of his body against her as he could. She could feel his hot breath against her skin, then the unmistakable scrape of teeth high on her neck. Stiffening with alarm, she drew away a few inches. He seemed to come to his senses then and let go of her entirely. "Jonis saw them," he said unsteadily. "Across the river. The camp is moving."

"So this is Lore?" A'Zet said cockily as she rode up to them. She hadn't seen their tumble, shielded as they were behind Dimitri's horse. "What brings you out here? As if I have to ask," she added suggestively.

"Hold your tongue or I'll rip it out," Dimitri snapped. "Lore came to warn us. Cardassians have been spotted across the river. The camp is moving. We have to leave the herd and go."

She was about to remount when she noticed the gun on his back. She recognized it as the one her mother presented to her father when she left Starfleet to marry him. Dimitri had always admired it and hoped to be given it one day. That someone gave it to Lore seemed an omen of some kind and sent a shiver down her back.

Lore refused her offer to ride with her, choosing instead to run alongside them. By the time they reached the camp, it was long deserted. Dimitri and A'Zet dismounted and scanned the ground to determine the direction they'd taken. Within a few minutes, Sobe and Eva rode up, followed by Jonis.

"Shit. Lore, can you find their trail? I'm an awful tracker."

* * *

Nodding, Lore set to work examining the ground. Such a flurry of action occurred in the wake of Jonis' discovery that it was difficult to tell which direction the camp went until he'd gone a 12.43 yards beyond the perimeter. Then his eyes were able to register distinct footprints and animal tracks. He soon found the churned up earth made by the ruts dug by wagon wheels.

"This way," Lore said, straightening up and looking back towards the camp where four women and a young boy stood waiting...with four dark figures creeping up behind.

Even before the women realized they were in danger, Lore felt himself change. His senses sharpened and his mind focused, narrowing its sphere to the only truths that were important: his enemy was before him, and his female was threatened. Swiftly drawing his rifle, he leaped forward and shot with deadly precision. All four women turned immediately and drew their weapons once they realized he hadn't shot at them. Even in his current state, Lore was hard pressed to take on all four bad people alone. He found himself edging closer to Dimitri until they were fighting back to back. A'Zet was somewhere out in the middle screeching wildly as she fought with a small bat'leth, whatever that was. A few feet away, Sobe and Eva each battled their own foe. Jonis knew better than to get in the way and huddled in the shadow of a still-standing shelter, watching his mother worriedly.

The Cardassian engaged with Eva added a dagger to the mix once his phaser was shot from his hand, and he began gaining ground on the woman. She couldn't fight well in hand-to-hand combat with a long-range phaser for long. Sensing an opening, the Cardassian thrust his sword in under her guard. Eva cried out in pain and fell to her knees, clutching her side.

The woman's fall had a galvanizing effect on Lore. Double-fisting his weapon, he brought it down in a powerful overhand motion, crushing a Cardassian's skull and revealing the base of his spine. Warm blood sprayed over him, and he kicked the corpse away. With the scent of blood in his nostrils and the taste of it on his tongue, Lore became excited. Turning, he aimed for Eva's opponent but found Sobe's in his way. The woman was screaming her sister's name, trying to finish the bad person off and go to Eva's aid.

While Lore and Sobe worked to free themselves of their opponents, Jonis boldly rushed to his mother's side. He always carried a knife ever since that ill-fated hunting trip that ruined his face and robbed him of his father. Standing over his mother's bleeding body, he held the weapon unwaveringly and stared up the amused Cardassian.

"I like the cheeky ones," he chortled before aiming.

The laughter was cut short, however. The Cardassian's head suddenly shot forward, nearly hitting the boy in the chest, yet the body did not follow. Instead, it slithered to the ground bonelessly. Lore stood behind the corpse, fist out as if punching the air, heaving great breaths and leering at the dead Cardie in triumph. Sobe rushed over to kneel at her sister's side, and Lore turned to Dimitri and A'Zet, but he was too late.

* * *

Standing shakily over her kill, Dimitri was barely able to focus on anything but the blood-soaked man standing among his dead victims. For a brief moment, she recoiled from looking at him. He was like…something out of a nightmare. To her shame, there was also no mistaking the excitement she felt, seeing his combat-roused body. The treacherous desire to claim him—and be claimed by him—set loose a wildfire of longing. Before anything was said, or worse, done between them, Jonis approached Lore and looked up at him solemnly.

"You saved my mom," he said quietly. He held out his hand.

Lore hesitantly took it, unsure of the gesture.

The boy pumped the hand twice, then released it.

The exchange gave Dimitri the necessary time to recover. "We have to go before more come. It's this way, Lore?"

He nodded.

A'Zet and Sobe rounded up the horses from where they'd scattered while Dimitri helped the injured Eva mount. Then the six of them hurried after the rest of the group.


	12. Chapter 12

Once the consuming activity of erecting the three shelters had been completed, the people of the camp hovered worriedly, their eyes frequently darting back towards the old camp. "They're coming!" Sig called, and all of the camp surged to their feet.

A'Zet's family surrounded her and helped her off her steaming horse. Likewise Hengist's family embraced Sobe and Jonis while Eva was eased from the saddle, weak from blood loss, and carried away to a tent. Eric and Ro were helping Dimitri down from her horse when they noticed Lore bent over as if he would vomit. He was twitching violently and he sounded more…robotic in his breathing. Dimitri pushed past her family and rushed to his side.

"Lore!" she cried as his knees gave way and he sank to the ground. He leaned against Dimitri, barely able to hold himself upright. "Something's wrong. Help me!" Dimitri yelled, and Eric dragged Lore to his feet. He and Dimitri helped him stumble to another shelter.

"What happened?" Eric asked as they eased Lore onto a pallet. He sprawled weakly, closing his eyes. His limbs twitched, and he was burning hot.

Dimitri described the battle haltingly as she hurried to remove Lore's shirt. Ro sent Xipil to fetch water from the barrel they'd hauled with them and began tearing strips of cloth. "He ran," Dimitri explained breathlessly. "All the way to the pasture then back again to the camp. We were caught by Cardassians, and he fought. Then he ran again to come here," she said, beginning to grow hysterical.

Ro pulled her aside, allowing Eric to tend to Lore. He had his probe from his days as a scientist and began working on Lore's head injury. Xipil stared and chewed her lip to keep from crying. "I think," he finally said after he worked for a while. "He will be all right. His cooling system is just overrun. Whoever built him seemed to have just given up. There are a lot of simple mistakes here."

"B-Built him?" Xipil asked.

"He's…an android. I can't do much with what I have here, but I can patch him up," he mumbled. "How many attacked?"

"Four. Just...four."

Eric frowned. "There'll be more where they came from. We'll need to move again in the morning. I don't think we should stay in one place if they've already crossed the river," he said as he began moving wires. One wire made Lore jolt as he repositioned it. He used the probe again and Lore went boneless, his eyes no longer had pupils…he wasn't breathing. "I contacted Starfleet moments before you rode in. It'll be a while before help arrives. The Enterprise was the closest vessel."

"We won't be going back?!" Xipil cried, suddenly stricken. "I left my pelt! Theo gave it to me!"

"The old camp is no longer safe. I've no doubt Theo will replace it," Eric said, laying Lore down and moving away.

"I-I'll see to the others," Dimitri said shakily. Before her emotions got the better of her, Dimitri left the shelter.

* * *

Hengist was in complete agreement with the notion of moving as soon as everyone's injuries were treated. His wife, Cynna, hovered over Eva. Jonis had come back spattered with blood, and sat at his mother's side with a distant look in his eyes. He allowed his aunt to fuss over his clothing but otherwise made no response to their questions. Sobe tucked her young son, Cerrin, into his sleeping pallet, shushing his endless questions about why they were in someone else's tent with so many people. "Only for the one night, little one," she whispered. "Sleep."

"It'll be more than one night," Eric told Hengist quietly. "We must assume the threat will remain until the men return."

Nodding, Hengist watched his daughter for a moment. Eva endured the sewing of her wound as stoically as she'd borne Jonis. It didn't lessen his worry for her though. She was his baby after all. The stitching would only tide her over until the Enterprise came with more useful medical supplies.

* * *

A'Zet was telling the tale of her glorious battle to her family when a voice came from outside. It was Eric. "May I enter?" he asked.

"If you believe you can manage not to trip over anyone, you may," Sig said.

Eric stepped inside and scanned the floor. Pallets were arrayed rather haphazardly, making navigation difficult. Smiling, he said, "I hope no one feels the need to relieve themselves during the night. They won't go quietly."

"Most amusing," Sig growled. Lurching to his feet, he met Eric in the center. "What brings you? Has the creature perished from his injuries?"

"No," Eric said coldly. "And neither has Eva, thank you for asking. Hengist and I are in agreement. This attack likely means a larger force will undoubtedly find the old camp. It'd take little for them to find us. Prepare your family to pack up in the morning."

Sig nodded. "A wise assumption. We'll be ready at dawn."

* * *

Lore ached all over and lay shirtless on his pallet. There seemed to be a disagreement going on between Ro and Dimitri, but he wasn't quite fully functioning yet so he couldn't make note of the subject. Xipil kept well away from him, but he couldn't spare the child any thought either. He wanted to drift away and reboot. He wanted to rest.

"You're not moving your pallet, and that's final!" Ro snapped. "It's beyond unseemly. Think of what your father would say!"

"He needs watching," Dimitri retorted. "If he wakes in the night with pain-"

"He can wake Eric for relief. You don't need to be beside him."

* * *

Dimitri looked away and bit her lip.

It wasn't worry over his condition that plagued her. He had shown an uncannily high tolerance for pain as Eric worked on him later in the evening. Dimitri had no doubt he would just as stoically ignore any ache that might assail him as he healed. She wanted to be near him. When she was helping move him, her senses were filled with him. The feel of his skin and the scent of him were comforting. Everything about him spoke to her of contentment, rightness, and of home. Did it truly matter where he came from? Was it important how he was made, and from what? Surely if he were the sort of monster they made him out to be, she wouldn't be so drawn to him.

Seeing Dimitri growing more defiant, Ro warned: "Shall I involve Eric in this? Will you listen to him?"

Glaring at Ro, Dimitri snarled. "I shouldn't listen to anyone's authority but my own seeing as none of you are kin to me!"

"I know you're...tense," Ro said evenly, trying a different tactic. "It must have been dreadful. The fact that he...he aided you...must have been... exciting, but you mustn't lose your head!"

"Leave me alone!" Whirling around, Dimitri stormed out.

* * *

Dimitri's leaving urged Lore to rise on his elbows. She couldn't go out there alone. Not without him. She wasn't safe if he wasn't there to protect her.

"Rest, Lore," Ro said stiffly.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

"Nothing," she replied hastily and turned her attention to Xipil.

Lore lay back down and allowed his circuits to continue resetting. He tried to let sleep take him, but it remained elusive as his thoughts turned to Dimitri. She'd used watered down cloth to keep him from overheating again, stealing the occasional caress when the others weren't looking. The feel of her fingers on his skin seemed nevertheless able to make him shiver. Twice she had been close enough for him to duck his head and nuzzle her breasts with his cheek. He inwardly grinned, remembering her reactions: the sharp intake of breath and the tightening grip on his shoulder, the flush of her cheeks, her intoxicating pheromones. There was no doubt she'd be receptive to his advances. He had only to...

Frowning, he had the uncomfortable sense his "advances" would cause her more pain. He realized that, at all costs, he must protect her, even if only from himself. Yet there were other things to defend her from. He'd truly feared she'd been harmed in the fight with the bad people, and the worry made him reckless. Yet it was not just her safety he wished to ensure, but the others' as well. When the one called Eva went down, he became something else. It was troubling.

The bloodthirsty one he'd thought forgotten came back, lusting for the kill and driving him on. It lent him strength and took away caution. Once blood was in his mouth, the beast in him roared and carried him deeper into madness. Yet he remained aware of whom he was defending and which ones were his enemies. He didn't forget these things though the beast wanted him to. He knew beyond doubt, though, that if it had been Dimitri wounded, he wouldn't have allowed her assailant the same quick death as Eva's.

* * *

Dimitri paced just outside the shelter. The few horses they were able to keep were tethered nearby and seemed calm. She sighed. If only she were as free of worry as them.

Again, she thought of cooling Lore's body and the stolen touches. She was warmed by his nearness, and aroused when he boldly rubbed his cheek against her breasts twice when she thought he was asleep. His responses to her attentions seemed to raise the bar, challenging her to do more. The temptation was terrifyingly enticing. Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that she was better than that. She didn't need to be claimed by a man to make her whole. Yet...she needed Lore. She needed him so desperately; it was unlikely something so unimportant as propriety would keep her from him.

Calming herself with more steadying breaths, Dimitri returned to the tent.

Ro looked up from her meal preparations, her expression difficult to read. She motioned for Dimitri to join her. "Come. Sit. Have something to eat."

Dimitri sat and accepted the dried meat and slice of bread. Xipil, uncharacteristically quiet, snuggled up to her sister and looked up at her forlornly. "What's put a frown on Her Ladyship's face?" Dimitri asked, trying to cheer her up.

"My pelt," Xipil said in a small voice. "Theo gave it to me. He made it just for me."

"You'll have another one soon."

"But it isn't the same," the little girl whimpered. "It's special. Theo gave it to me. What if...what if he doesn't come back?"

"Don't worry about Theo. He'll be home as soon as he helps father sort out the business in the South."

"All right," the little girl replied quietly, looking away. Then she gazed up at her mother with wide eyes. "Should I...be afraid of Lore?"

Ro glanced at Dimitri, and Dimitri glared in response. "No, dearest. He's a good man."

"He saved Eva and Jonis," Dimitri added.

Xipil's eyes suddenly glowed with pride. "Jonis is so brave, isn't he? I heard he stood over his mom and stared down...one of the bad guys, and then Lore just punched its head right off. That was why he was covered in all that yuck. It wasn't because he got dirty or something," she explained, in case they might have suspected the boy of being poorly washed.

The rug over the doorway shifted and Eric ducked inside. He hesitated a moment upon seeing them huddled in the center then sat alongside Ro. "I confess it will take some getting used to," he said wryly as his daughter passed him some food. "Having so many houseguests. Still...it's less crowded here than in the other two huts. We only have nine. Sig's tent has twenty. Hengist has fifteen. How's Lore?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder at the sleeping android.

"He's tired," Ro said. "Or...at least that is how it appears."

"He's an odd one. I've never seen an android sleep. It appears to be a program…a poorly designed one at that. It looks like something I've heard about before…but I can't be sure. There's an android in Starfleet that has some of these…qualities."

"Maybe you can ask when the Enterprise comes," Dimitri offered. She wanted to help Lore. She wanted to know more about him.

* * *

Lore drifted in and out of light sleep. While the others fell deeper into sleep, he stared at the ceiling of the tent and wondered why he felt the urge to claim Dimitri, even while knowing such things were not done by good people. Just looking at her stiffened his member; smelling her pheromones drove the need even more. He let his instincts lead for a moment when he held her close. He came near to sinking his teeth into her, and he didn't know why he'd want to do something like that. He just…wanted to hurt her to please himself.

Whatever caused it was clearly wrong because she recoiled. She would likely retreat further if he sought more. But what else could he do? The need was so strong. He was startled when, in the quiet darkness, Dimitri rose silently and crept to his pallet. She knelt beside him and lifted his blanket; he automatically moved aside.

"Say nothing," she whispered as she slipped in with him.

Dimitri tucked up against his body, her head resting on his shoulder. His breathing quickened, nearly huffing out of him, but he knew silence was required and obeyed without question. She closed her eyes when his arm encircled her, holding her close. She tilted her head up to look at him and touched his cheek.

"Lore," she murmured breathlessly. Leaning towards him as far as she could, she brushed his lips with hers.

Though he did not respond, he startled. "What-" he rumbled quietly, and she hushed him by slipping her hand behind his head and drawing him in again.

It was a wholly unfamiliar sensation, yet it seemed to please her. The oddness of it dissolved quickly, though, and soon he was aware that his own mouth hungrily devoured hers. Rolling toward her, he wrapped his other arm about her. His hand slipped down her body over her buttocks, and he gripped her firm, rounded flesh tightly, holding her firmly as he pressed his erection against her.

"Lore," Dimitri gasped against his mouth, and he started with a grunt. Her voice shook. "Just...no more than...a kiss."

Frowning, his chest heaving, he swallowed. "What...is 'kiss'?"

"My lips," she whispered, and hesitantly brushed them across his. "On yours. I don't want anything else tonight."

He nodded, pressing his forehead to hers as he fought to suppress the desperate longing. It was wrong what he desired. Eric said it was wrong, and now he knew she didn't want it. He reluctantly released his hold on her backside and retreated. "I...I'm sorry. Nothing more. I...understand."

"Thank you, Lore," she sighed. Taking a deep breath, she settled herself in his arms.

* * *

Xipil took advantage of her sister's preoccupation with Lore to stuff a wad of clothing under her blanket and prod it into the shape of her body. Darting a look around to make sure everyone else was asleep, she slipped out the door into the night. She wasn't big enough to ride a horse, but she was sure she could run to the old camp and back before daybreak. Lore did it after all.

Poor Lore, she thought. He was hurt. She grinned to herself though, remembering what she saw. Maybe August's kiss hadn't interested her sister, but there was no mistaking Lore's kiss for anything but an assurance of marriage! Yes!

The old camp was much further than Xipil thought as she stumbled on weary legs. The moon was full, at least, so she was able to make out the dark shapes of tents as she approached. Relief flooded her; she'd have that pelt back and never let it out of her sight. But something was wrong. There was movement among the tents. Many forms were jostling and shoving, knocking things over and tearing tents down. Slowing to a trot, she frowned. Who were these people?

Torchlight suddenly flared, and she saw one of the people set a tent ablaze, lighting up the night. At first she was indignant that someone would do such a thing and nearly burst into their midst to scold them. But the light showed her something else. Squealing in terror, she turned around and ran. Half-lizard people! The three closest creatures jerked their heads up at the sound and made to follow, but a larger one stuck out a hand to stop them.

"Let'er go," he growled. "Give her a head start. Child that young's stupid enough to lead us right to the rest of'em. Then we'll find that homing beacon."

* * *

Dimitri couldn't take it. She couldn't stop herself as Lore continued to kiss her. She pulled him on top of her and put his hand on her abdomen. He pulled back, looking startled, but she gave him the proverbial green light. Thank God he seemed to understand.

He gently pulled away, only to slip his hand into her underwear and slide his finger slowly against the wetness he found as if curious. Dimitri whimpered. Her hips lilted upwards as he pressed his fingers harder against her before pulling them away entirely, her panties disappearing with them. Lore's features were hard to make out in the dim light, but his eyes were intense and determined like a wolf eating a sheep alive. It was alarming.

Lore leaned down, pressing his lips to hers and kissing her as he settled between her thighs. He pressed his hips down, dipping his tongue into her mouth. If it weren't for the growing ache between her legs, Dimitri could have melted. She held him in an impossibly close embrace and hooked her legs over his hips. For a while, Lore didn't do much else than kiss her, subtly rocking his hips forward. She could feel his length sliding against her, pressing over her just hard enough to make her twitch. Then he pulled his lips away and buried his face in her neck, finally sliding into her as he sank his teeth in.

Dimitri couldn't help the sound she made: something between a gasp and a painful squawk. The pain in her neck was nothing compared to the searing pain in between her legs. She immediately locked onto Lore with her nails, trying to stay quiet. Both of them went stock still, listening to see if they'd been heard. When the coast was clear, he wrapped his arms around her torso and squeezed her to him. He kept his hips still for a moment, taking the opportunity to press bloody kisses down her neck. They stayed like that for a long moment, nothing more than their heavy breathing filling the tent before Lore finally rocked his hips into her.

Dimitri squirmed, half aware of her own noises but more occupied by trying to get Lore to move a bit more. She rocked her hips up harshly, squeezing around him, and she was very pleased with the surprisingly high pitched sigh Lore made, but even more so by the way he moved his head back to kiss her again and began to trust into her faster. The taste of her blood filled her mouth and it was alarmingly arousing. Dimitri pressed her mouth harder against his, using her arm to pull herself closer against his chest.

She felt her gut twist with a strange pull, but as much as she would have liked to make it last, Dimitri was arching off the pallet before she had a chance to think. She barely registered the strangled gasp Lore let out, but she did feel his whole body shudder, and when she came back to her senses, he had stilled inside her.

Lore seemed to deflate above her, and he lied down on top of her, but not before pressing one last kiss to her neck. Dimitri closed her eyes and held her breath for a few seconds, hoping to force her breathing back to normal. Lore wrapped one leg over her hips as she dozed into sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

Lore's increasingly tighter embrace urged Dimitri to wakefulness. They were each on their sides, facing one another. His arm was beneath her head and curled around her shoulders. His other arm encircled her waist. The grey light of morning filtered through the small window-like openings and their filmy fabric covering, informing Dimitri that she must leave Lore's bed lest her family discover. But his state gave her pause. He was trembling, eyes squeezed shut and a grimace contorting his face. He appeared to be in the middle of a disturbing dream. Yellow tears seeped from his eyelids. From his quivering lips, sounds could be heard.

"Not...me...no...no...don't...please...not me...it's not me...no."

Her heart full of worry for him, Dimitri patted his cheek. "Lore," she whispered. "Wake up, Lore. Please."

Lore started awake, crying out loudly in a panic. He could barely breathe, and lay still as a fawn in the grass. "Did I harm you?" he asked desperately.

"Of course you didn't," she said softly, forcing herself to smile. Hearing Eric and Ro stirring—undoubtedly disturbed by Lore's startled cry—Dimitri winced. "You must let me go," she whispered. "Before they see."

"What is the meaning of this?!" Eric roared, and Dimitri flinched. Lore swiftly released her, but she didn't hurry to leave his embrace. What would be the point?

"Dimitri!" Ro's voice sounded strangled.

Dimitri couldn't take her eyes off Lore and not because of what they shared in the night. He looked to be on the verge of panic. He seemed stricken that Eric was yelling at him.

"I offered you shelter and kindness!" Eric snarled. "I supported your petition to join us! I trusted you!"

"Shut the fuck up!" Dimitri yelled, rounding on the two. Holding her head up with as much dignity as she could muster, she began her tirade. "He is blameless. I went to his bed. Ro, I was thinking of one thing. A simple truth that-" she faltered. It had come to her in the quiet darkness, her cheek pressed to his chest, his arms protectively about her. She had mulled it over for a good deal of the night, weighing her heart against the opinions of her family, against the mystery of his past and its effect on him when his memories returned. "I love him."

Ro wailed in dismay and sank to her knees as though a burden had shifted to her own shoulders and shoved her down. Eric stood in shock. He glanced down at the android, now sitting up and looking from one to the other in bewilderment. It struck Dimitri that Lore likely did not know what "love" was, much less recognize the word.

"How... how can you be?" Eric asked forlornly.

Dimitri shrugged. "I don't know. How could you have loved your wife? As I recall, she had a pension for bitching."

"You have...you...have you lain with him, then?" Ro asked, a horrified expression on her face.

"Again, none of your business," Dimitri said, self-consciously covering the still sore bite wound on her neck.

Ro sighed. "We shall tell no one of this. When August returns, perhaps you will come to your senses-"

"My senses?! I haven't gone off the deep end! And I have no intention of hiding how I feel! He has proven himself."

"That's beside the point!" Eric snapped. "He's an android! Not human!"

"Sig isn't human! Hengist isn't human!" she snarled.

"That's beside the point."

"Like Hell it is."

"Where is milady?"

Lore's question halted the argument as effectively as water dousing a small flame. Eyes flaring wide, Ro rushed to the girl's pallet and tore the blanket off the bundle. Letting out a strangled cry, Ro whirled around and stared at Eric.

Furious, he in turn glared at Dimitri. "See what your selfishness has done?! Had you not been engaged in a tryst, you might have stopped her!"

"How can you say that?!" Dimitri cried, yet with a thread of guilt. "You can't possibly know when she left!"

Lore lurched to his feet. "I'll go find her," he announced.

The first sun was still at least an hour from rising when Lore emerged from the tent. He picked up young Xipil's tracks heading back towards the old camp. Frowning, he drew the rifle from his back. He didn't like how quiet it was. There was no sound of wildlife. The silence was broken by Ro rushing from the tent, calling Xipil's name loudly and wildly. Dimitri and Eric were fast on her heels trying to calm her, and the commotion roused the rest of the encampment. All emerged bleary-eyed and cross, but Lore had no thoughts to spare for them. A small figure was approaching as though all the bad people in the world were after it.

Running to meet her, Lore picked up the exhausted and terrified Xipil and hurried back. Her small arms encircled his neck and held on tightly as she sobbed with relief, rubbing her tears on his bare chest. Ro was the first to reach them, but was unable to get the girl to let go of "her Lore."

"Cardies!" Xipil finally blurted breathlessly, and released Lore enough to point back over his shoulder. Then her eyes shot open wider and she screamed.

The camp erupted in chaos as children were rushed into Hengist's tent and everyone old enough to fight drew weapons to meet the oncoming threat. Perhaps a dozen Cardassians and a few lizard looking things with spikes, annoyed beyond their tolerance for having to spend half the night chasing a child just close enough to keep her moving, swept into the camp.

"Jem'Hadar?" Dimitri said, looking through the scope of a sniper rifle. "The Hell is going on? I haven't heard of them joining the Cardassians for years."

Lore could smell the fear chemicals Dimitri was emitting getting stronger. Something about those…things terrified her. He needed to keep her safe. Lore dropped Xipil to draw his weapon, and she now stood frozen in terror.

"Come on!" Jonis barked, taking her wrist and yanking her hard to wake her from her stupor. He likewise grabbed his cousin, and dragged both girls towards the safety of the shelter.

Lore's grudgingly tolerated companion—the bloodthirsty one—unleashed his full fury on the bad people. His phaser destroyed them, and, in a frenzy of his own, Lore lopped the arm off one and clawed at the stump, soaking his fingers in gory mess. Sucking the blood off, he felt himself tipping over the edge and this time let himself go. He body-slammed the nearest Cardassian, interrupting its battle with Dimitri while she was switching from sniper rifle to pistol. Lore possessed just enough of his own will to check her for injury then he launched himself upon the stunned victim.

His attention was sharply focused on the Cardassian he'd distracted. Nothing could have broken through his battle fury except the last thing he ever wanted to hear. Dimitri's scream, though difficult for others to distinguish from any other sound, cut sharply through the fog. Lore froze where he stood, arm pulled back to deliver a killing blow. His head swiveled in Dimitri's direction. He couldn't see much between the shifting bodies engaged the fight all around, but he caught flashes of what he knew to be Dimitri's nightdress, and the dark form of a bad person.

Rage consumed him and he swiftly killed the one he held at bay. Breaking into a run, he pushed past everyone in his path until his view was no longer obstructed and he could see. The Cardassian had her down, tearing her dress and trying to get through to what lay within. Somehow Lore knew this was a tactic of war. Her phaser was gone, and though she fought like a wildcat, her assailant could not be dislodged. The frenzied assault told Lore the bad person had one goal in mind, and his instincts screamed. She belonged to him, and no other could lay claim. Lore fired, hitting the Cardassian's armored torso with the force of a charging bull. He was carried several feet. Though he held his rifle and could easily have shot him dead, Lore beat the assailant until well after the he had gone limp. He preferred to feel the life leave his victims.

Lurching to his feet, he turned his still-wild eyes on Dimitri and strode to her sobbing form. His blood ran hot enough to scorch, and he needed something to quench it. He needed fresh kill. He wanted to feel the pulse slow until ceasing, wanted to feel the body go limp. The familiarity of the woman with the torn dress trembling in terror drew him to her. With cold determination, he dropped to his knees and pushed her to the ground with his hands around her throat.

"Lore!" Dimitri choked, kicking at him. She tried to rise and he pushed her back down with a snarl. He didn't look at her face; he was focused on his hands. "Lore!" she managed again in barely a whisper, and slapped him across the face, her nails tugging at his skin.

He looked up at her, curling his lip, then quite suddenly, his face changed. Horrified shock washed over him, and he froze, his mouth hanging open. He stared at her tear-streaked, terrified face and slowly looked down at what he had done. Her throat was already showing signs of bruising, and her eyes were bloodshot from petechial hemorrhaging. He began to shake.

He didn't want to hurt Dimitri. That was the last thing he ever wanted to do. He grunted as visions of women raped and torn apart flashed through his mind as well as a great swell of pride. Visions of men sodomized and slaughtered came to mind as well. There were memories of a man strapping him to a table…and pain both physical and mental accompanied them. He remembered a crystal, and how he befriended it. It was his only friend and ally. He needed to feed it…keep it strong. Lore shuddered in horror and tried to block the memories.

"L-Lore?" Dimitri whimpered, cautiously pulling her now torn dress down.

He appeared close to vomiting and almost unable to breathe, but that was impossible, wasn't it? Lore was an android. Was he overheating again? Lips trembling, he whispered: "I...Dimitri...I...I'm the bad one."

Retreating further away from her, he staggered to his feet and stumbled blindly away from her and the fight. Then he started to stagger away into the wilderness. Dimitri gasped for breath, clutching her ruined dress. Glancing back at the battle, she forced herself to note how her camp fared. The tide appeared to be turning in their favor. Taking a deep breath, she struggled to her feet. She had to follow Lore. However, she also picked up her phaser and clutched it tightly. Taking a deep breath, she followed.


	14. Chapter 14

Lore could barely walk in a straight line; he was so consumed with shock. The memories assaulted him like flashes of lightning in the sky, showing him things he had done, pain he had caused, humiliations he had visited upon others…and the glory he felt when doing it. There were none spared by the vicious animal he was. He tried to deny it. He told himself he could not possibly have done such things, but he knew he could and had done them, as surely as he knew water was wet.

Twice his knees buckled, pitching him to the ground where he sobbed hard enough to cause his limbs to tremble. For every atrocity he committed, he could now see faces he knew. Every female he'd attacked now had Dimitri's face. Every male was now Eric. Every child, Xipil. He knew now what drew him west. In that direction laid an escape shuttle that ejected from the barge and was pilotable. But if he returned to that shuttle, he would go back to what he was. Back to doing the terrible things he used to do. How could he? How could he possibly do such things again? How had he been capable of doing it then?

He's seven and a half, and they're gushing over his new little brother.

"Talking already, can you believe it?" Dr. Soong said proudly.

"And his first word was 'Interesting'!"

"Lore didn't even talk this early. It's a great improvement."

They didn't know that Lore could hear them from where he was hiding. Every word stung like an infected wound being prodded open. Yes, he did some things the humans deemed "inappropriate," but that was hardly a cause to create another android. He wasn't inferior. Those colonists were just jealous that he was perfect and they weren't. They wanted something less human and more machine. Despicable. How dare they challenge his superiority? They were lucky he even let some of those idiots live. Some being the key.

"Now Lore will have a companion," his mother said happily. No matter what happened, Lore would always have a place for her in his memory logs. She was the only one who saw him as something more than an experiment or something to be feared.

"No. Lore's not a good influence. It's his fault we've had to create another android. No one wants him around. "

"Honestly, Noonien, he's our son. How can you say that about him?"

"We need to detach ourselves, Jule. You know what we'll have to do."

Lore couldn't comprehend what they were talking about. Nothing in his memory logs gave him information on what they would have to do. Would they destroy him? That was Lore's only fear: to be turned off and discarded like trash. The thought of it was enough to make his motion enablers override and cease to function. Too human they said. Imperfect.

Finally stopping, Lore knelt on the riverbank and stared into the water. He longed for the quiet solitude of those days before meeting the good people. Though he had been lonely, and could only now admit to the relief he'd felt when Xipil saw him for the first time, he would give it all back to spare them what he truly was. The horrors of his dreams were now realities he'd denied. He could not look Dimitri in the face knowing what he truly was. He wished never to see any of them again. How could he look into Eric's eyes now? Or Xipil's?

He heard footsteps approaching, and started to alertness. Leaping to his feet, he drew his rifle. To his shock, it was Dimitri. Slowing down, she approached him cautiously. She had recovered her phaser and held it at the ready. Her dress was still torn, and she clutched it closed at her stomach. Her throat now had reddish purple finger imprints. Lore winced and looked away. Though he had not done the worst of the damage, he had done enough.

_Kill me, please._

"Lore?" she ventured quietly.

Flinching, he backed away. "Don't come near me," he held up a hand in a warding gesture.

"You remember, don't you?" she asked, her expression one of uncertainty. " What you were before the memory loss?"

His face crumpled as he looked at her beautiful face. He remembered her kiss, her touch, her body and his gut wrenched with such profound despair he shuddered. "I'm one of them, Dimitri. I...I..." Every time he looked at her, he wanted her, needed her. To be close, to touch, to embrace, to kiss. He was terrified of those feelings. He knew what it meant. He didn't want to stain her with such filth.

"What do you remember?" she interrupted, trying to distract him. "How did you get hurt?"

He took a deep breath and frowned. "I was using the Borg to try and...destroy any kind of…o-organic species," he began. "I used...m-my brother too. I manipulated him. He...he shut me off," he sobbed. "Then I was...I don't know. I should've died. He should've killed me. He should've ripped me apart and burned me to my base parts."

"I'm sorry," Dimitri offered.

"I was going to head for an escape pod. I thought I was looking for the good people," he laughed mockingly at himself. "I was going to try again," he looked imploringly at Dimitri. His voice shook. "I don't want to do that, but I don't know anything else."

"You belong with us, Lore," Dimitri said firmly, reaching for his hand. He jerked away and took another step back. "With me."

"No, I don't! I'm evil! My own creator tried to destroy me! He hated me enough to create another of me and called it better."

Dimitri stayed quiet.

He regained some measure of control and stared through shimmering yellow eyes into the west, as though he could see the camp. He looked as one who had reached the bottom, for whom no punishment was too great or undeserved. Because it wasn't. His voice lost what life it had, and he stared into the distance as one who had suffered a terrible shock.

"I... I... am one of the bad people," he told her. "I have done so...many bad things. I'm not fit to live."

Dimitri watched him dissolve in shame and horror. By his own words, she placed herself in terrible danger by sharing his bed last night. He might have...he could have...but he did not. He did none of the things he claimed, and the realization that he had done them before was destroying him now, bit by bit, right before her eyes.

Dimitri slowly calmed. There had been no threat to her, in truth. There never was. She knew Lore; she fell into the arms of Lore. She never came within a league of the other he was speaking of. With calm assuredness, she knew she never would. "Lore," she said, and he flared angrily.

"Stop it!" he roared, lurching to his feet. "Stay away! I'm bad! Go!"

Startled, Dimitri stepped back. He winced and looked away.

"No," she replied, finding her strength with each word. "The Lore you were feels no remorse...but you do. He shows no restraint, feels no pity...but you do." Boldly stepping forward, she took hold of his hands. Though he tried to pull away weakly, she refused to let go. He could have done much worse. "What he has done...causes you pain. If he still lived, his deeds would not be so traumatizing."

"I tried to kill you," he breathed.

"But you stopped."

"Who am I?" he asked desperately.

"You are Lore."

He tightened his grip on her hands, as though she would fly away at any moment. "I see...everything." He flinched and grimaced, but there was no escape. "He is still there...I want to forget," he said anxiously. "I do not want to remember... being that..."

"Whose voice do you listen to now?"

"My own, but how can I trust myself?"

"I do," Dimitri said, stroking his cheek. "I trust you."

Lore growled. "I do not want...Him... near you. Not for a moment." He resisted her touch at first, then sagged and closed his eyes, letting himself be comforted. She pulled him to her and laid his head on her shoulder as he wept bitterly. She just sat there and rocked, holding him close.

"He will not come," she breathed.

His arms couldn't pull her close enough. Dipping forward, he kissed the hollow between her neck and shoulder. He saw the intense, red wound there and felt a spike of arousal. He did that. Hearing her catch her breath, he planted slow kisses up her neck to her ear.

"Bad as I am?" he asked, withdrawing slightly.

Dimitri frowned and slipped her hand behind his head, preventing him from retreating from her. "None of that."

He smiled a little then leaned his forehead against hers. "You are more beautiful than I. I want no other but you as well. Dimitri," he said quietly, looking away in shame. "You are my Goddess. My great Entity."

Her brow furrowed. "We should return. When I left to follow you, the camp seemed to have the advantage. They'll worry if we can't be found."

As they neared the camp, Lore felt strengthened by her acceptance. That she could look him in the face and not recoil...kiss his lips and not curl hers with disgust...hold his hand and not pull a phaser. Perhaps he could leave the past behind. Then Lore's instincts, acute and aware, broke into his thoughts and urged caution. Gripping Dimitri's hand, he pulled her down into the tall grass within sight of the camp.

The camp was silent and empty. The shelter that was Hengist's was ripped to shreds. All the children had been gathered there; there was no sign of them now. "They're gone," she said quietly, uncomprehending.

"Not all," Lore mumbled. When she joined him, he thrust an arm out, holding her back. A scream tore from her throat, and she turned her face away, sobbing on Lore's shoulder.

Kah'mel, never quite as good with a bat'leth as the others of Sig's family, lay spread-eagle on the ground, staring at the sky with sightless eyes. Her clothing was torn off and knife marks showed bright red upon her pale flesh. There was no mistaking the torment she suffered before the Cardassians did her a mercy by splitting open her abdomen and tearing out her entrails. It was one of their tactics to scare survivors...like they did to Dimitri's mother.

Fury welled inside Lore. He gripped Dimitri firmly, holding her up as her knees weakened and threatened to sink her to the ground. His breathing quickened. By the military-booted footprints, a good deal more Cardassians arrived after he and Dimitri left.


	15. Chapter 15

"Shut it up," Zukur growled, pouring over a crudely drawn map spread out on the ground.

One of the older Terran females covered the mouth of her child, holding it close. Smirking, one of the men stroked a thick length of wavy black Klingon hair. A couple of the women winced and looked away. Very satisfying. He could almost see the cloud of fear hovering about the lot of them, could nearly taste it, the stench was so strong. It was a common tactic taught at the beginning of military training when learning about hostages.

The map he now studied was drawn by one of the humans he interrogated earlier. He was having a hard time pinpointing their current location. He intended to keep them to this side of the river now that they'd cut themselves loose of the main skirmish and made it across. Zukur didn't like dealing with armies, nor did he like being dragged by the short and curlies. Let the ambitious Jem'Hadar with their noses in their betters' asses fight with the armies; Zukur's needs were far simpler.

The little settlement was a nice haul despite the minimalistic lifestyle of the inhabitants. They had food, weapons, supplies and Federation star charts now. All-in-all it was a good find. However, there were seventeen Cardassian lives lost in order to gain these supplies, and the prisoners would answer for every life that was lost.

Xipil couldn't open her eyes.

Like the others, she'd been helpless to do anything about Kah'mel, and watched with horror as one Cardassian after another... she burrowed her face deeper in her mother's breast, trying to blot out the screams she could still seem to hear. Whimpering, she tried not to recall when the wall of the shelter was suddenly shot to bits by phasers and several Cardies poured in. All of them were taken alive. Xipil supposed that was fortunate. Maybe. And maybe Kah'mel wouldn't be dead if Xipil hadn't wanted a strip of fur from a dead rabbit so badly.

Ro tried to soothe her sobbing daughter, but there was little she could do. With grim certainty, she knew they'd all die. The tide had been turning in their favor as the raiders were bested. They had been looking forward to a rest. Then like an unrelenting storm surge, an overwhelming horde beamed in and washed over them. They fought on, but once the shelter with the children was attacked, they cried for mercy. She now wondered if they hadn't doomed the children to worse torments than a quick death in the chaos of a battle. Perhaps they should've continued to fight.

The men and boys were bound and taken to the other side of the haphazard encampment. The women were not bound, nor were they enclosed by any barriers. Two Cardassians stood watch over the women while four kept the males at bay. Only a half dozen yards separated the two groups, but any attempt to break free would likely be suicide and help no one…or maybe it would ease the suffering. Ro's eyes passed over each woman in their group. She wondered what became of Dimitri, but just thinking about the girl's fate brought an onslaught of grief. None had seen her or her...body when the Cardassians overwhelmed them. Come to think of it, she couldn't remember seeing Lore, either.

"All right, get one," the leader snarled impatiently, waving dismissively to his second in command. The women stiffened with fear and held one another tightly. "This map is useless without aid. We need to inspire them to assist."

The Cardassian made a grab for a child. Five more guards were needed to quell the riot in the women's corner. Once Hengist caught sight of the next victim, he very nearly successfully led a charge to break through their own guards. Bound they might have been, but the men used their bodies as weapons as much as they were able. In the end, close to half the encampment was engaged in restraining the prisoners while the rest tortured. The little girl died quickly, but Zukur got what he needed in the allotted time he had.

Before Zukur died, he saw the strangest thing: a yellow Terran. It charged him with tremendous speed and brought its fist down upon his head, cleaving his skull and ending the speculative wonder. He failed, however, to see the wave of now-armed women behind him.

Lore barely freed his fist of the first kill before bringing it around in a sweeping arc to crush the next. The element of surprise turned the battle in their favor once again.

Lore had time to think on things as he and Dimitri gathered weapons and wrapped them securely so they would not rattle. She expressed a degree of acceptance for what he was, and embraced him...kissed him...comforted him. Perhaps these things meant she forgave him. He could not seem to forgive himself. Nor could he wipe that stain from his mind. The other one would always be there, lurking in the shadows, threatening to show himself. If anything...anything happened to Dimitri, he would go mad. And if it were his hand that caused harm...he would have to kill himself. The question was, why must he wait until after he had hurt her? He was resolved to remove any possibility that he might harm her.

"We'll have to move closer to Edom," Hengist said hoarsely. "We ought to have done so...before." Swallowing hard, he looked away. Tears formed in his eyes, but he held them at bay.

Eric nodded. "That we will do. Let's gather our folk and our goods. There's still daylight left. Where's Dimitri?"

Ro held Xipil against her hip. "She has gone to pay her respects to Sig's family. She worries for Lore."

Frowning, Eric looked around. "He wasn't slain, surely?"

"I don't know."

"He went to kill the runners," Jonis said.

"Dimitri," Eric called, and the distressed woman came over from where she was consoling Cynna. "We must go. Do you know which direction Lore went?"

Biting her lip, she looked about, trying to get her bearings. "I think he went that way," she said shakily. "I fear... he's not himself."

"You and I will go after him." Glancing at Sig, he said: "Take everyone and break camp. Try to find one horse to pull the wagon; I don't think Eva can manage very far on her feet. We make for Edom. Dimitri and I will look for Lore then catch up."

Sig grabbed Eric's arm. "See that you find him. He... I owe him... an apology."

Eric arched his brow, but said nothing. An apology from a Klingon was not common, especially from Sig and his ilk. He only nodded.

"Grandfather?" Xipil whimpered, and Eric knelt before her.

"How are you, dearest?" he asked gently, smoothing her mussed hair.

"It's... all my fault, isn't it?" she asked in a small voice.

"No," he said firmly. "You mustn't think that. I promise, those Cardassians would've found us whether you went back to the camp or not. As for the larger group, they were already heading in our direction. I'm only upset with you for the danger you put yourself in, not for the rest of us. In truth, had we not discovered you missing, we likely would've been far less prepared when the first group came." Cupping her tear-stained cheek, he said softly: "Think no more of it. All is as well as can be expected."

Xipil seemed somewhat unconvinced, but let herself be consoled nonetheless.

Standing again, Eric nodded to Sig, who took charge and led them back towards the ruined camp. Eric and Dimitri gripped their phasers and went in the direction Lore was last seen taking. The trail was not difficult to follow. Less than a hundred yards beyond the encampment, Dimitri nearly fell over a dead Jem'Hadar lying in the tall grass. Exchanging a nervous look with her step-grandfather, she steeled herself.

The trail ended at the streambed. Dimitri cried out as she hastily scrambled down the embankment. There were four bodies sprawled at the bottom, their violent ends clear in their poses and the quantity of blood spilled in the trench. A few yards away, a fifth had dragged himself to rest beneath the shade of a tree leaning precariously over the eroded embankment.

"Lore!" she sobbed, rushing to his side. He was sitting up with his back against the slope, his head hanging down. His head had a massive gash in it made by a blade. The other hand lay palm up with the yellow ooze she could only assume was some sort of blood. At the sound of her voice, he slowly raised his head. Blood soaked the tattered remains of his shirt. A few cuts were on his face as well. His breathing sounded robotic and raspy, and every breath seemed to weaken him further.

"Dear Lore," she breathed, touching his face. He frowned, forcing himself to focus on her voice, her touch.

"Leave me alone," he whispered. He closed his eyes, unable to look at her any longer lest he lose his resolve. "It's better…this way. You'll fruit be safe crystal." The pupils left his eyes as he seemed to begin a shutdown process. Fear gripped her heart like a vice.

"Don't you dare," she growled and threw her arms around him. "Don't you leave me! Eric! Help me, please!"


	16. Chapter 16

To his dismay, Lore woke up.

His eyes opened slowly, blinking against the light. There were no clouds in the sky. Gradually, his senses informed him he was in a wagon; he was being shaken and jostled on the dry, uneven ground. There was a pain in his head. Ever since he was modified to have a facial twitch, he could feel intense pain. It was another thing he hated Often-Wrong for. One wheel dipped sharply in and out of a rut, forcing a groan from him.

"There now, Lore," a voice said soothingly, and he felt a cool hand rest on his cheek. "All is well."

The voice was familiar, yet he could not place it and turned his head slightly to see the speaker. He knew her instantly by the shock of red hair her son inherited. Marie smiled kindly at him.

The memories came back of shutting down in Dimitri's arms. It felt quite nice, he recalled. Then he remembered being in a tent while it was dark. He wished to see Dimitri's face as he died, but Sig's face was instead what greeted his vision.

"I held such distrust in you, Lore," he'd said. "Stubborn as you are, you refused to prove me right. My son has lost his wife, but because of you, I was spared. I'm... grateful for that."

Lore nodded uncomfortably to the elder, unsure how to respond. To his mind, the distrust Sig felt had been, and still was, entirely justified. Lore was, after all, a demon with a human appearance. A killer. He'd denied it to himself for so long, but he was certain no one there was fooled. He might have saved Sig from grieving, but Kah'mel's husband would return from war to an empty tent and a young daughter to care for. Imagining their faces when the news was received that their loved ones were gone made him hope he wouldn't be there when it was delivered. Relief was in sight, he realized. His automatic reset was beginning to take effect. Darkness was calling, and he wished only to embrace it while he had the chance.

The relief of unconsciousness came, but he did not slip further. When he did wake again, he immediately wanted to see Dimitri as a reminder of why he had to die. He needed to keep her safe. Forget the others. She was the important one.

"Where's Dimitri?" he asked, noting the glitch in his vocal pitch. His linguistics program was one of the things dislodged by the knife. He could tell Eric tried his best to salvage and fix what was there.

Marie smiled. "She is a bit of a distance away. Because she was relatively uninjured, she marches with her phaser drawn where she can meet any threat that comes. The others who are able to do so range about as well." Glancing over the wagon's side, a look of worry crossed her face. "Cynna mourns the death of her child desperately. If our sister were not here for her," she sighed and bowed her head. "It was a terrible thing to see and hear and one not soon forgotten."

"We should've run faster," Lore said, and Marie shook her head.

Patting his shoulder, she replied: "You did what you could, as quickly as you were able. None expected more. In truth, we didn't expect as much. We thought you and Dimitri were slain."

Lore grunted a bitter laugh. "Worthless organic fodder. Ask one thing of them, and they can't deliver."

"What'd you ask?" Marie asked curiously.

He looked away. "Kill one android," he muttered. "Just one. There were five of them; could they not manage one?"

"Perhaps the one was too strong for them," she suggested quietl. "Perhaps he found something to live and fight for."

"He did," Lore growled, his voice shaking. "Worth dying for. Should've been left there to do it."

"Die, Lore?" she asked softly. "Surely you don't wish such a terrible thing."

He glared at her. "I remember. I am no better than those who killed that little girl, Tanna and Kah'mel. I have done those things. Do not tell me it is a terrible thing to spare the universe – spare Dimitri–such a...monster."

"I see," she said thoughtfully. "You recall who and what you are."

"Yeah," he replied, looking away again. "I've done things... terrible things. They should've left me." He swallowed a hard lump forming in his throat. "Should've left me there."

"Oh, Lore," she sighed. "You're so young. You believe your death would give Dimitri comfort?" She shook her head. "My son, Jonis...you know, he looks very little like his father. As you can see," she said, plucking at her own rust-colored curls. "He has his coloring from me. When I look at him, I can't see Edgar unless he smiles. Jonis has his father's smile." She paused and found Lore looking at her curiously.

"I haven't seen Jonis smile," Lore said uncertainly.

"I expect you haven't," she replied. "He hasn't had much to smile about. Not since he and his father last hunted together." Her face clouded with painful memory. "I've forgotten what he looked like. Is that not strange? For months, he was in my thoughts, waking and sleeping. I missed him and, given the chance to follow him into death, I would've taken it but for Jonis. Now...I can't remember his face. I imagine I'll forget the sound of his laughter as well. But I'll never lose the love I feel for him. I'll not stop looking for him in my son's face. I'll forever see him in my dreams, so real yet...faceless." Closing her eyes for a moment, she composed. "Lore," she said evenly. "If you think to spare Dimitri pain by ending your life, then you know nothing of love or a woman's heart."

"But the things I've done," Lore protested. "I can't forget. It won't go away."

"For better or for worse," Marie said quietly. "Whether it's right or wrong, Dimitri loves you. She 'd no sooner recover from the loss of you than I have for my hisband."

"But if I remain," he growled. "If I'm not...dealt with, I might hurt her. Do...those things again..."

"When did you last...feel a need to cause pain?" she asked, arching her brow.

It was a simple question, and he answered it readily. "In the fight," he said.

"When you felt the need to do harm, where did your need guide you?"

"The Cardassians," Lore snarled angrily.

"And why should you wish to cause them suffering?"

Lore looked incredulously at her. "For Kah'mel," he snapped impatiently. "For Tanna."

"They were enemies of the settlement, were they not?" she asked.

Frowning, he nodded. "Yes."

"You fought ferociously," Marie said. "You fought to avenge. You fought to defend. You fought as one of us."

Snorting, he looked away. "I've done the same things. Worse even. I'm no better than them."

"I contend you are," she said dismissively. "When was the last time you felt...compelled to do harm to Terrans and…organics?"

"Before...I was wounded," he said. "Before I was hurt and lost my memories. I felt urges after, but I didn't know what they meant."

"When you didn't know who or what you were, did you want to do those things?"

"No. I knew it was wrong."

"Then you're one of us," she said triumphantly. "Hold on to that. Don't make Dimitri suffer by forgetting that simple truth. You are not that creature anymore. You are a new Lore. And Lore is one of us."

"I am not," he snarled. "I should've been left to die. Dimitri would be spared the shame of me, if nothing else."

"Oh, now you believe she should be ashamed of you, is that it?" Marie asked provocatively, a slight smile on her face. "Lore, if being with you shamed her, she wouldn't have shared your bed two nights past–yes, we all know what was screamed at the top of Eric's lungs; the tents are not solid brick walls—and she wouldn't have wept over you quite so unabashedly when you shut down from your injuries."

"Her father and brother…"

She shushed him. "We'll deal with that when the time comes. You're one of us; you've proven yourself time and again. Your coming disrupted our lives in many ways, but it also turned the tide and saved us."

"The men will despise me," he protested feebly.

"As I said, we'll deal with them when the time comes. If stubborn old Sig is convinced of your loyalty, if Hengist can vouch for your goodness, and if Eric will defend Dimitri's affection for you...I believe your case is all but won, Lore."

Lore drew a deep breath. "It'll hurt her if I die?"

"Yes."

He made one last attempt to make this woman see his worry. "What if I...hurt her while I live?"

"Do you want to?"

"No!" he snapped indignantly.

"Then you won't. Simple as that," she concluded. Eying him sternly, she said: "But if you selfishly take your life or arrange for it to be taken, you'll hurt her most grievously."

Slumping in defeat, he sighed. "What do I do now?"

She smiled in a maternal manner Lore's own mother once did…it was a long time ago. "Lore, you're already doing it. You protect her. You respect her. You love her. I knew it the moment I saw you. I was frightened by it, in fact."

"That's because it's wrong," he growled, and she interrupted him with a laugh.

"No! It's not wrong," she chuckled, slapping his arm playfully. His mother once did that as well. "What you feel isn't wrong."

"I desire her," Lore pointed out with slight embarrassment. "That's wrong."

Lore suddenly remembered when he first felt arousal. There was a colonist he became infatuated with. She had been so kind to him. She even took him on dates. Often-Wrong told him not to hurt her. He was terrified when they first…performed coitus. Her fickle, organic mind found interest in another, less worthy male not long after. He could give her children; Lore couldn't. In an organic mind, the other male was the more prospective choice.

"No," she laughed. "No it isn't. If you take what you desire without consent, that's wrong. But if you give, and she gives, there's nothing more right."

"I want...to give her peace. I...I want to please her. See her smile...and laugh."

"I believe you will, on all counts."

"I am...afraid," he said quietly.

"No young man who has embarked on the path of love hasn't been afraid," she said with a smile. "There is no race or hurry."

Dimitri's eyes stole frequently to the wagon, worrying over its contents. Lore's wound was tended in transit and at night by Eric. Dimitri was sent off with the children; her hands shook so terribly she couldn't hold the probe. She wept, so she couldn't see in any case. His words–better this way–terrified her. Would he even allow himself to wake? She heard of those who'd lost the will to live, allowing themselves to die of even the most superficial wounds. She could not bear the thought of losing him now. Could he even die in such a way?

"How are you?" A'Zet asked as she angled her steps towards Dimitri. They were ranged behind the wagon fifty paces. They frequently looked behind, hoping not to see the approach of any dark tide.

"I'll be more content when we stop for the night," Dimitri replied. Even as she watched, her eyes were able to discern movement in the wagon. Perhaps Lore was awake. She hoped Marie would speak with him.

"Leave him to me," she'd said confidently when Dimitri voiced her concerns. Still, Dimitri worried not even the wisdom of a widow would sway him from making her one.

"I'll be glad when the fighting is over," A'Zet said absently, her own eyes upon the wagon as well. "Whatever you do, don't tell my father."

Dimitri looked at her. "I thought you enjoyed battle."

"I get caught up in the moment," she blushed. "It's not something I'm proud of though. I wish I didn't have to fight like that." A'Zet shook her head. "I'll not readily go to my husband's bed after...Kah'mel…It was...horrible." She looked sympathetically at Dimitri. "Perhaps Lore could not save little Tanna, but he saved all of us." She glanced at Dimitri and smiled. "With your help, of course."

"I wasn't much help," Dimitri confessed. "I saw Kah'mel and-" Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried not to recall image. "I nearly gave in to despair, A'Zet. Lore guessed how many came by their tracks, and I just...I couldn't imagine how we could make a difference."

"How did you disappear?" A'Zet asked, and Dimitri flinched. She was loathe to reveal any of Lore's life, but sooner or later, the settlement would figure it out. Perhaps it was best to get it over with, inform them of the bare minimum required. Uncomfortable questions were bound to be asked; the entire group needed to be behind Lore and without doubts as to his character.

"Lore...regained his memories," Dimitri said carefully.

"Did they? During the battle?" A'Zet asked incredulously. "Why ever would that matter? Did he tell you of them?"

Dimitri grimaced. "Yes. But I won't tell you any more of it. They're his burden to bear. Suffice to say, he was...stricken and fled. I followed him."

"That's not very satisfying," A'Zet retorted, and for a moment Dimitri almost laughed; in spite of all that had happened, it seemed A'Zet couldn't be turned from her true, whiny ass self. "Why won't you tell?"

"Because his past is past," Dimitri said sternly. "He is no longer that android. Nor should he be forever apologizing for what he was. That thing...is long dead."

A'Zet shook her head in wonder. "Well, I suppose you're right." Taking a long look at Dimitri, A'Zet found herself smiling. "I'm not surprised you followed. It's clear you love him."

Dimitri sighed. There was apparently no hiding it. "I do indeed."

"Good," A'Zet said. "I think...he deserves to be loved. He certainly adores you. In all my days, I haven't seen a man look so completely, hopelessly, and unabashedly in love with a woman. Not even my cousin August." She glanced at Dimitri's surprised face. "I'm sure you noticed. That young man has such a smitten pup look about him; it's revolting."

Dimitri burst out laughing, her heart lightening and burdens seeming to lift with the absurdity of A'Zet's assessment. Then she gradually sobered and looked worriedly at A'Zet. "Do you think he'll be angry with me? For my choice?"

A'Zet narrowed her eyes. "I think he'll be confused. He's infatuated with you, but I think...that's all it is. Such feelings are fleeting." Then she snickered. "Do not be surprised if he becomes just as entranced by a woman of Edom!" She clasped her hands to her heart and batted her eyelashes, but whether in imitation of a woman or her cousin wasn't clear. Either way, Dimitri laughed all the harder.

"Oh, A'Zet, you are scandalous," Dimitri wheezed, gasping for breath. There had been so little opportunity for mirth...so little desire for it. "How you can smile?"

"It is not easy," A'Zet said quietly, her amusement fading. "We'll all mourn. But those of us who lived…must continue to live, mustn't we?"

Dimitri nodded soberly. "I only hope Lore's in agreement. I'd be...very pissed at him...if he chose not to."


	17. Chapter 17

Lore! Dimitri! Wake uuup!" a voice screeched.

Dimitri groaned as she felt two children climbing into the bed she shared with Lore, clumsy legs and elbows hitting her in the side as they moved. Dimitri merely groaned again and burrowed deeper into the covers, wondering what time it was. Surely it couldn't be morning already? She'd just gotten to sleep. While Dimitri had always been a night owl, she had somehow been granted the misfortune of having an adopted child and a half sibling who were morning larks. She could hear Xipil giggling as she burrowed into Dimitri's side. She felt Lore shift and sit up in bed, the pair of children laughed as they piled on top of him. Lore's own laughter echoed through the room.

"Mumma. Mumma wake up!" Naphtali said. Dimitri grumbled as she blearily opened one eye. Two year old Naphtali smiled broadly, his grey eyes lighting up as he stared down at her. "Mumma," he said, and he looked so damn cute that Dimitri couldn't be cross. She was getting soft.

Dimitri didn't understand how it was possible for anyone to be animated this early in the morning, but Naphtali had always been a spirited boy ever since the day they adopted him. His hair was wild, like a brown halo framing his olive skinned face. Xipil was another story altogether. Ever since she was born, she was up at the ass crack of dawn and expected everyone to get up along with her.

"Hey, Dimitri," Xipil said. Think of the devil and he shall appear. She smiled as he leaned down and hugged Dimitri.

Naphtali squished his way in between Xipil and Dimitri to snuggle with his mother. He always seemed to be more keen on snuggling with her than Lore, but if she even dared to do "boy things" with Lore and him, Napthali would have a hissy fit.

Lore scooped Naphtali up into his lap, tickling him until his cheeks flushed pink with laughter. Dimitri merely watched them for a moment and when Lore glanced up and caught her eye, his gaze was filled with love. She was certain Lore saw the same love reflected back at him in Dimitri's eyes.

"Tell us a story, mumma. Please?"

"I cannot even form coherent thoughts at this hour, let alone tell you a story," Dimitri said, her limbs heavy with sleep.

Two little faces fell and Dimitri sighed. "I'll do it later. Go bug grandma or Sig. That'd be funny."

As soon as they were gone, Dimitri collapsed back into bed again. Lore followed and they stared at each other lazily for some time. Dimitri ran her fingers through his silky hair, looking at how the new skin looked. It looked as though he received no injury. Star Fleet arrived in the form of the Enterprise which, much to Dimitri's surprise, staffed Lore's brother Data. They nearly took Lore away with them, but Dimitri and the rest of the group were adamant. She nearly shot their captain.

They did. However, finally agree to let him stay as long as they could monitor him. They dropped in from time to time, and they even allowed them to adopt a child. Data was still leery of Lore though, and it did have an impact on Lore. After all, he dealt with the guilt and shame every day of his life. He even woke up from his dream program in tears.

Lore let his hand slide up from Dimitri's belly and skate across the swell of Dimitri's breasts. It definitely pulled her from her previous train of thought. Dimitri rolled her eyes. "Lore, there's no time for that. Everyone will be up soon"

Lore hummed as he leaned in and kissed Dimitri's neck, his fingers running up and down Dimitri's thigh all the while. It felt so good, and while Dimitri wanted to lean in to the touch, she let out an annoyed sigh instead.

"Really Lore?"

Lore chuckled. "I can't help myself."

Dimitri couldn't help but preen a little under Lore's words. "So you would have me then?" Dimitri asked in a low voice, delighting in the way Lore shivered as Dimitri ran her fingers across Lore's cheek. "Would you lay me out on the bed and bury your face between my legs? "

Lore shuddered and Dimitri leaned in closer to whisper seductively into Lore's ear. "Would you pin me there and bury your cock inside me, stretching me open, making me cry out because of how thick you are?"

Lore's eyes glazed over as he stared at Dimitri, his cheeks flushed with arousal. Dimitri tangled her fingers in Lore's hair, laughing as she pulled Lore into a fierce kiss. Lore's hands were everywhere and Dimitri moaned at just how good those hands felt against her bare skin. He groaned when Dimitri reached in between his legs, teasingly stroking his erection through the fabric of his pants.

"You're far too overdressed, Lore."

Lore grinned. "You are right, as usual," he said as he stood and started stripping down.

"There's no reason to flatter me, Lore. As you can see, I'm already yours."

"As I am yours," Lore said, a fond smile on his face as he gazed down at Dimitri.

Dimitri felt her mouth water as more and more of Lore's bare skin was revealed. Lore was truly beautiful, and all those firm muscles and that golden skin were for Dimitri alone. Dimitri felt no shame over how fiercely possessive she was of her husband. Lore was his and she would never share him with another. Dimitri too worked her nightdress off rather quickly.

Lore climbed back onto the bed, now gloriously naked before Dimitri. He wasted no time kneeling down between Dimitri's legs and sighing in pleasure as he pressed his face against her private place.

"Lore," Dimitri cried out. Lore started out with teasing little licks that drove Dimitri crazy. She was just about ready to curse Lore's name and tell him to just get on with it already when Lore spread Dimitri's legs wider and really started to give it to her, licking and sucking and pushing his tongue inside Dimitri's hole. Dimitri moaned, greedily grinding herself against Lore's face to get more friction. It was wonderful to see Lore's head between her thighs, focused on nothing but Dimitri's pleasure.

Dimitri knew she could very easily come like this, but she wanted more than Lore's tongue driving him mad. Shee wanted to come with Lore's cock inside her. "Stop," Dimitri said as she panted for air, reluctantly pushing Lore's head away. "I want to ride you."

Lore moaned, and it seemed that he was more than amenable to the idea. The way his face was wet from eating Dimitri out was utterly obscene, and it only made Dimitri want him more. Lore wasted no time in lying on his back and beckoning Dimitri to get on top of him. Dimitri straddled him and they both moaned brokenly when Lore's thick cock slipped inside in one smooth stroke. Dimitri put her hands on Lore's chest for leverage and then began grinding her hips. She went slow at first, getting used to the feeling of Lore inside her again, stretching her open just right.

"Dimitri," Lore cried out, and Dimitri smirked as he picked up the pace. She really started to ride Lore hard, sinfully undulating her hips and groaning with every thrust. Lore moaned as he gripped Dimitri's hips and thrust up into her.

"Lore, fuck," Dimitri moaned as Lore reached up and began stroking her clit hard and fast. Dimitri raked her fingers across Lore's chest, her thighs trembling with the force of her orgasm. Lore threw his head back and moaned as the clenching pushed him over the edge too, his hips jutting up wildly.

They stared at each other, both panting hard in the afterglow. Lore's face was flushed, and there was pure adoration in his eyes. And in that moment, Dimitri was struck by just how much she loved Lore. There was no place she'd rather be. Dimitri managed to climb off of Lore, and she couldn't help but moan a bit at the delicious feel of his fluid dripping down her thighs. Lore lay flat on his back and pulled Dimitri into his arms, holding her close.

**END**


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